Hello to those in the fan-fiction community. It's been quite a long time since I have written anything for this site, so I consider this my're-introduction'. This character, Rina, the Fire Nation Slave Girl has been in my mind for quite some time, but I haven't been able to give her a good enough character to put her into a story. Just telling the story, I believe, wouldn't be enough. So, I'm making this her journal. What she has seen, what she has done, and the person that she has become in my mind will all be put here. She has been a long time in the making, and I hope you enjoy this.

Disclaimer- I do not own Avatar in any way, shape or form

Entry 1- The Beginning of a Story…

To me, the beginning of a story is the most important thing to any story. Any good story has a good beginning. The Count of Monte Cristo, Romeo and Juliet, The Tell-Tale Heart. All of these stories have a good plot, but they start with a few simple, powerful words that captivate you.

So how does my story start?

My tale is far from the adventures of the previously mentioned stories. I'm just a lowly servant girl, nothing more. What is so interesting about that? All I did was follow my prince and kept a promise that I made to someone who was very kind to me. Nothing special at all.

Maybe the best place to begin this tale is by telling you my life and who I am. My name is Rina Naron. I am a loyal servant of the fire nation now, but when I was a child, I worked with my parents on a farm just on the outskirts of the capital city. Everything was sparse, and we worked hard for what we earned. But my parents couldn't afford what it cost to raise a child. So I volunteered to become a servant at the palace. They would feed me, clothe me and house me, and all I had to do was clean.

I began my training just after my tenth birthday. I was told not to speak unless spoken to, never talk to the royals, and never leave the palace walls unless instructed. I did everything I was told without fail. I was quiet, polite, and completely non-existent. I was invisible and hollow, with no one to talk to. I was the youngest servant, and the odd man out because of it.

I remember watching the Prince and Princess with their friends, Mai and Ty Lee. They played together every day while I watched them from up on a hill. I envied them so. Why could they have this happiness and freedom when I could not? Once, Ty Lee noticed me and asked me to join them. I quickly shook my head and ran away. I never watched them again after that. It was not my place to begin with, and I was intruding upon them.

After that day, I spent most of my time indoors. I taught myself to read in my spare time. I would sit in the shadows of the schoolhouse within the palace walls and study with the royal children. I learned so much in my first year in the palace, but I was still hollow. I missed my parents, and I felt alone in that place. There were two people who made my life a little more bearable, though.

The first of these two was Dragon Iroh. He noticed me sweeping the floors one day and invited me to have some tea and sandwiches with him. I found there to be no reason for me to indulge on his food and drink, so I kindly declined.

"Someone so small should not be without a friend, come."

He took my broom from me and pushed me down the hallway into the garden. I had never been in that area before, and I found it beautiful. I have since used that place as a getaway from my life.

"How did you know I didn't have a friend?" I asked the kind man. My curiosity got the better of me.

"Simply because of the look in your eyes." He responded, serving me tea.

Right after I left the gardens, I looked at myself in a mirror. My azure eyes did contain this sadness and weariness common in a lonely child. My black hair hung about my face in an oppressive way as well, making the sadness in my eyes more apparent. This sadness has since gone, but sometimes it returns.

I often spoke to Dragon Iroh after that day, and he was always kind and understanding. He was always willing to share his wisdom with me, even if I was too young to understand it. Another thing he did for me was introduce me to the most influential person in my life.

One day, Iroh and I were talking when the Queen and Prince Zuko started walking towards us. Acting on instinct, I instantly dove to the ground, my nose to the floor in a bow. Iroh simply laughed.

"Stand, young one," he told me, "I wanted to introduce you to them anyway."

He picked me up my by the collar of my tattered red shirt and stood me on my feet. I slowly started to freak out. We were told never to talk to the royal family. With every step they took towards me, my heart beat increased. I tried to look at the ground, but Iroh held my head up. The time dragged on until they were a few feet in front of me.

"Who is this little girl?" The Queen asked, a smile in her voice and on her lips.

"This is Rina, the servant girl I spoke to you about." Iroh responded.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Iroh had to slap me on the back to get the words to come from my mouth.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Little Rina, isn't that right Zuko?" The prince nodded slightly in agreement with his mother. But I could tell that he really didn't mean it.

Without another word, they left. I was instantly drawn to the Queen, though. She carried this light around her that shone in everything that she did and touched. I wanted that light for myself; I wanted that warmth that was in her smile. I began to follow her around like a stray dog and she never complained. She always talked to me, gave me scraps from her dinner and such. She created a strong bond with me. She stayed with me up until the minute she disappeared. She filled the space that Dragon Iroh left when he went to conquer Ba Sing Se. She stayed with me right up until her disappearance.

It should be noted that during this time, I rarely spoke to Prince Zuko. We were only casual acquaintances up until about a week before his mother left. During that week before we left, something changed. We actually spoke, we waved at each other when ever one saw the other, and we became friends. I think that's why his mother came to me that night…

"Rina…" A voice stirred the darkness of the slave's quarters. "Rina, wake up."

I stirred lightly, mumbling a sentence made up of no real words.

"I want you to watch over Zuko, make sure that he's safe."

"Hmm…?" I opened my eyes to see the Queen standing over me.

"Promise me. Promise me you'll watch over him." Her voice sounded urgent.

"W-Why?" Sleep still clung to me tightly, and I could barely comprehend what was happening.

"I don't have time, just promise me." The urgentness remained in her whisper.

"I promise…" I muttered.

And with that, she was gone. The next day, I couldn't find the Queen. Princess Azula took great joy in telling me that she had disappeared. I never remember crying so hard. My best friend was gone, and Iroh couldn't comfort me. His son had just been killed and was heading home. It was Iroh who needed the comfort.

I remembered the promise that I made the night before. I told myself that I would never break that promise. Even though my friend was gone, she was still around somewhere. I could feel it. I would never be able to forgive myself if I broke the promise. So I stayed close to the Prince. We still remained friends for many years before this adventure actually began.

And that is how my story begins…

That is the first chapter! I hope you enjoyed it. Please comment! I want three comments before the next chapter is put up!