Disclaimer: I own nothing. James Cameron owns "Avatar" and Nickelodeon owns the rest!
Remember Me
Prologue
If you had told me a year ago things would turn out this way, I would have laughed in your face. Not even a snicker but a full on belly aching laugh. Tears would have run down my cheeks and I might have begged you to stop. If you would have explained my situation I would have told you it was impossible. Funny how life never ever goes the way you plan. I always thought myself a great warrior. I always thought nothing could slow me down or cause me to fall. Still, some people can see things you can't and use it against you. That's exactly what happened to me.
I mastered Firebending when I was fourteen. I mastered lighting when I was fifteen. With the teaching of my Great Uncle Iroh I have been able to do so with calm and patients. I don't use my lighting very often as it makes me feel connected in a way to my aunt and grandfather. No, I find joy and love in my firebending. When I turned fourteen my father took me to learn the true form of firebending from the dragons. Since then I have been called the greatest firebender in the world. Next to my father of course. He can still kick my ass with one flick of the wrist.
Growing up I was exposed to all forms of bending giving me an advantage and strength from there styles. Learning about my countries history gave me a burning drive to be better. To be as great as my father. Fire Lord Zuko is a great man. People credit his wisdom and honor in saving the world. Of course to me he is just dad. He along with my mother Queen Mie raised me in a warm caring environment. While he was gone often, when he was home he was always around. Every training session, every dinner, and every night he would see me to bed. He is my best friend along with my mother. He is the father he never had.
As crowned prince Helio of the Fire Nation I spent time with all my fathers close friends. I called them my uncles and aunts. They were my family seeing my real one beyond my parents were crazy or dead. Uncle Iroh passed away when I was 16 much to my father's heartbreak. I think the day he died my father began to love me even more. I have grown up spending most of my time with my "extended" family. These people were all legendary heroes. They had all worked together to save the world and bring peace and justice to every citizen. Their children were my most trusted and loyal friends.
Kumat is my best friend. We were born only a few months apart and have been throwing fire and water balls at another for as long as I can remember. My Uncle Sokka and Aunt Suki have daughter also named Kya. She isn't a bender but she is a great warrior and like an older sister. She is two years older but may as well be forty five. So unlike her father much more like her Aunt.
Tessa is the daughter of my Aunt Toph and her husband The Duke. No one knows his first name. I don't think anyone has ever asked. She is an earth bender. Not as gifted as her mother, she can see, she is the youngest in our group. Only thirteen but she was the first to master her element at age of ten and the most determined fighter I have ever met besides myself.
Then there is Ornith. Growing up she was the nail in my side. The pain in my royal ass. She is the daughter of my Uncle Aang and Aunt Katara. She is the first airbender to be born in over a hundred years. She is a master of her element and the only person who has ever made my lose my temper and burn something down. She is two years younger then me but I used to swear she was mentally six. Easily distracted and fun loving she would drive me crazy while trying to train. My father said she is just like my Uncle Aang and that her easy nature was part of being an airbender. She was also fearless and loyal to a point of it being a fault. To me she was nothing more then a child. Some much time I wasted seeing her as nothing. A little girl. So much time lost that I will never get back. So much time …
The saying 'I royally fucked up' applies to me so well it makes me sick.
I sometimes think back to the last time I saw her. I sometimes think back to the moment I first met her. Well, that moment I don't remember but I think about my first memory with her. I remember how we would fight and yell at each other while are parents begged us to get along. How she would knock me over in sparing sessions and laugh about it making me angry. I remember how I felt the first time I saw her after her return from her retreat to the air temples for two years. How my throat constricted and I suddenly couldn't breath. I remember the first time I realized she was beautiful. I remember huge blue eyes and the wind.
I remember everything.
Mostly I remember how I lost her. How she had run from me and then been taken from all of us. I remember how I had fought back tears when my mother had told me of her kidnapping. How I had set fire to the curtains in the war room after the meeting with my father, when he told me he could do nothing because she wasn't a member of the fire nation. How he wouldn't start a war or uprising over one girl. Even if it was her. How my Uncle Aang and Aunt Katara agreed with him and said she would want the same thing. To do and sacrifice whatever it took to keep peace in our world.
That is why I ran. That is why I am sitting here now somewhere in the earth nation with my three loyal companions searching for her. All of us are runaways. When I had first left I had decided to go alone but soon found there was no getting rid of my friends. I was now grateful for them every second of the day.
She has been missing for a year. We have been looking all over the world for nine months. We have found nothing. I know everyone is thinking there is a very good chance she is dead. Killed the moment my father refused to negotiate my Aunts release for her freedom. That is what they had wanted and that was something my father would never do. Not even for me. My aunt has a small group of rebels still loyal to her. When I say small I mean very very small. Still it makes it easy for them to hide and go unnoticed. To blend in as nothing more then a normal citizen.
Yet, somehow I know she is alive. I can feel it. Every time the wind blows my heart tells me its her. I can feel her calling out to me. Begging me to find and save her. I will not give up. I will not let her die alone. I will not let our last conversation be a huge fight. I will find her and tell her how I feel, how I have always felt and beg for her forgiveness in return. I will save her.
I close my eyes and remember that night. I hadn't seen her in two years. No one had. She had began her monk retreat when she was 13. She was still a child. Still an annoying know it all. Short and scrawny. Always breaking things and running around with Tessa. Driving Kumat and me crazy while I was deep into my lightning training.
The night she left for her retreat she had pulled me aside from everyone else and given me a hug. I returned it. I loved her no matter how much she got in my nerves. She told me she was scared and that she wasn't sure if she was ready to grow up. I reassured her she was and that I felt the same way before going to train with the dragons. She smiled and said maybe when she came back I would finally see her differently. At the time I didn't understand. Now I do. She already loved me.
The two years she was gone not much changed. Besides the passing of my uncle my life went on without much thought of the young airbender. Every know and again a windstorm would kick up and I would wonder how her retreat was going. If she was safe. Then we heard she would be returning on her fifteenth birthday. A celebration would be held for reaching her milestone year. For mastering her element.
I was excited to see her because I was anxious to spar with her. She and I were both masters now. Getting ready for the celebration Kumat had said he had seen her getting off her ship. He said she was different. When I asked how he shrugged and simply said, "She's grown up." I pulled my shoulder length hair into a ponytail and put on my traditional robes. Besides a huge scar I look almost like my fathers twin. But I have my mothers raven hair. I am tall and lean. The normal build of the fire nation. Strong broad shoulders and a long torso. Many of the girls in court flirt with me which is either because I am good looking or a prince I can never tell.
As I step into the grand ballroom with Kumat and Kya at my side, both dressed in blue, I quickly see what Kumat mean. She is standing with her parents. For the first time in my life I swear she took my breath away. Kya leans over and whispers into my ear, "You are staring. Close your mouth before something flies in it." I suddenly notice it is hanging open and close it.
Her long brown hair is hanging freely. I want to touch it. She is taller then before and her skin is pale and smooth. I want to touch it. She is wearing a simple blue dress with small flowers on them. I want to touch it. Her blue eyes are shinning and her lips have a light pink gloss on them. I want to touch it. Kumat pushes me forward to greet her and suddenly I am nervous.
"Ornith!" Kya squeals and runs to hug her. Kumat waits till they pull apart and give her a kiss on the cheek.
"Lady Ornith." He winks. She smirks at him.
"Oh god please don't even start that!" Her voice is like a melody.
"Well you are a lady now." He laughs. She suddenly turns and her eyes are on me. He blue eyes are so alive and vibrant. I can't look away.
"Is he okay?" She says softly to Kya.
"Yeah, just give him a second. I think his whole life just changed." She whispers. Ornith gives her a odd look before stepping forward and bowing.
"Prince Helio." She says with her head down. This snaps me out of it. I reach forward and lift her chin with my hand. Her eyes meet mine confused. Still holding her chin I grab her free hand with mine own and pull her close.
"Don't ever bow to me. You are far to beautiful to bow to me." My voice is low and cracks. Her eyes widen at this and I begin to pull her towards the dance floor without asking. The music is slow and I grab her waist and we fall into the formal dance.
"So your not even going to say hello?" She quirks her eyebrow.
"Hello." I say simply.
"Hi." She smiles back. I can't help it and a smirk falls on my face.
"You look beautiful." I whisper. She begins to blush and I feel like the Fire Lord already.
"You look nice." She stutters. "When was the last time you cut your hair? Its almost as long as mine." She is making small talk and I don't want to play the game.
"Not since you left." I answer.
"Wow! Two years? You are lazy." She winks. I take a chance and pull her closer by the waist and put her hand against my chest. I begin to rock us slower then the music and can feel her heartbeat against my chest. "I missed you." She says softly. Did I miss her? I did. In all honesty I missed her when my uncle died and when I was bored with not much to do. She had always been up for anything and often we had gotten into trouble together.
"I missed you too." I lean forward and press my lips against her ear. "Don't ever leave for so long again." She nods her head slowly and I smile again. "How was your retreat? What did you learn?" I ask.
"Oh it was wonderful! I am a master now and I feel so much more connected with the past. Such a stronger sense of pride and love." She is smiling wide now.
"Thats how I felt after meeting with the Dragons." I agree. Her smile falls and she lets out a sigh. "Whats is it?" I ask.
"I'm sorry about you uncle. I'm sorry I was gone."
"You werent gone. I felt your spirit." I say simply. We rock a few more minutes and the song ends. Pulling apart we both clap and she smiles at me. Holy hell I would die for her already.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course." She smiles.
"Follow me." I take her hand and pull her towards the balcony. Once outside she walks in front of me and I follow closely stealing a sniff of her hair. Flowers. Once we reach the rail she turns to face me and I quickly capture her with both hands on the rail.
"What did you want to ask Helio?" She says nervously.
"Can I try something?" My voice is husky. She nervously shakes her head yes. Slowly I take one hand from the rail and plunge it into her beautiful hair. I slowly lean forward and bring her lips to mine. She doesn't fight it. Instead I can feel her getting on her tip toes to bring me closer. I kiss her. Its small and sweet yet it takes my breath away. She gasps slightly and pulls back. If I hadn't been able to use lighting before I am sure I could have in that moment. Everything was alive. I pull her head more forcefully and kiss her more passionatly. Its amazing. Its wonderful. Its everything. She moans softly and I suddenly feel more on fire then I ever have in my life. After a long moment I pull away. We are both breathing hard. Are forheads still pushed together. I being to laugh.
"What's so funny?" she smiles.
"I can't believe its you. I mean your so different. So beautiful. Who would have thought you would become all this?" I smile back. She pulls away.
"What do you mean?" She looks serious. Upset almost.
"You were just a kid before. An annoying brat. Always breaking things. Now you're the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. A lady." I lean in to kiss her again but she pulls away.
"I'm still me Helio. I'm still that girl." She begins to walk away. I chase after her.
"That not what I meant Ornith." I say quickly.
"Isn't it? What because I am pretty you think I am perfect? Well let me tell you something I am still a goof ball. I still break things all the time. If you found that annoying as children then you will now too. So don't waste either of our time. Go on being Mr. Serious and I will continue to be a child." I go to grab her hand but suddenly a gust of wind pushes me away. "Your such a jerk you know that. All this time I waited for you to accept me for who I am. To like me for being a free spirit. I will never be a noble women. I will never be a perfect lady. So have a nice life and fine someone who will!"
"Fine!" I yell. Fire appears at the end of my fist. "You're such a child Ornith. I fear for the future of the Airbenders nation if you are thier only hope!" I scream. Only she can make me so angry. She frowns at me and I can see tears in her eyes.
"Tell my parents I walked home. Thank you Majesty for your advice and time." With that she turns and leaves. I slam my fist into the ground and fire erupts around me.
That was the last anyone saw her. I was the last person to speak with her. Because of me she was alone and taken. Because of my stupidity. So now I sit against this tree unable to sleep. Searching and praying to find her soon.
I will do anything to bring her back to me. Anything.
A/N: Okay kinda long. I had a lot to introduce and get out of the way. This is my first Avatar fic and I have never done and entire set of original characters before. Please review. This is scary and new for me so advie and info I may get wrong with helpful!!!