'Jun, Lien wake up now!' shouted the girls father.

'Coming' shouted Jun as she sat up in bed.

'Mmpf' groaned Lien, turning over, trying to get back to sleep.

'Lien, come on' Jun moaned, getting up to shake her sister 'wake up lazy.'

'No, don't want to get up too tired' Lien groaned.

'Well father has a very important war meeting at the palace today, and I know a certain prince is going to be there' Jun whispered into Lien's ear.

'Kai?' Lien said too enthusiastically 'Ummm not like I care' she said flustered as her cheeks started turning red.

'Yeah sure' Jun said laughing

'Ok I'll get up Lien muttered as she threw her quilt of her and onto the floor and she walked as slow as she could towards the bathroom.

Half an hour later, Lien came out wearing a pair of old red leggings with a lot of scorch marks on them, and an old tunic.

'Lien why are you wearing that' Jun shrieked.

'Felt like it' Lien said shrugging her shoulders at her sister as she walked gracefully into the bathroom.

An hour later and Jun finally remerged from the bathroom wearing red leggings a lot like her sisters but not burnt, a black ruffled skirt and one of her favourite tunics. Jun had also outlined her eyes in red and had painted her lips cherry red. Even her hair was immaculate; her raven black hair was scooped up into a traditional fire nation bun clipped back with a solid gold band with the fire nation insignia on.

Where as Lien didn't want a skirt to get in the way, when she practised her fire bending with Zuko and Kai. She settled for old clothes instead of new so they didn't get ruined. She had no make-up on as she wanted to look natural. Unlike her sister's hair, Lien left hers loose and hanging.

As the girls headed downstairs Jun kept trying to fix Lien's hair. 'Just let me sort this bit out for you'

'No leave it' Lien said slapping her sister's hand away.

There mother and father were both waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs, as there eyes looked upon Jun there faces beamed with pride, they thought Jun was the perfect young lady, good manners, immaculate appearance, always nice and sweet to everybody, a perfect wife for a noble. But when there eyes fell upon Lien there faces turned to a grimace, they thought Lien was the not perfect young lady, no manners, always turned up looking clean but by the time she got home she was caked in mud, most of time she was immature and rude to people, a not perfect wife for a noble.

'Oh Jun you look beautiful' there mother beamed welling up with pride. 'Lien couldn't you have made more of an effort, how are you ever going to get husband looking like a tramp'

Lien just shrugged at her mothers disapproving look. 'Lien don't shrug your shoulders it's not lady like' there mother said in a stern voice Lien could tell she was getting irritated with her, 'God why does she always favour Jun' Lien thought angrily, feeling tears of anguish prick her eyes as she climbed into the carriage.

As they reached the castle doors, Lien and Jun's father turned round and said 'Right girls, me and your mother need to hurry along to this meeting'

'Jun you go play with Azula and her other friends and remember be your charming self and bow in her presence'

'Lien try and get on with people, don't be rude, try not to get dirty'

'Yes father' Jun chirped giving her father a charming smile.

'Yes' Lien muttered feeling sick at the act Jun was putting on, as her father and mother walked off giving her a disapproving look.

'Bye Lien' Jun called out as she ran over to Azula, Mai and Ty-lee who were all huddled under the tree.

'Bye' Lien said sticking out her tongue at Jun as she walked off to find Kai and Zuko.

As she reached the arena she pushed the door open and ran in, there was Zuko and Kai practising the fire bending together.

'Hey guys' Lien called out as she ran over.

'Hey Lien' Kai said still concentration on firing fire balls at Zuko.

'Hi Lien' Zuko shouted as he dodged Kai's fire balls.

'Can I join in?' Lien asked.

'Yeah course' said Kai 'Zuko sit over there its Lien's turn'

'Fine' Zuko said moodily as he stuck his tongue out at Kai, 'Who does he think he is, just because he is going to be fire lord one day' Zuko thought his anger pulsing through his body.

'Ready'

'Ready'

Kai sent his first fire ball heading towards Lien, but Lien easily dodged it. More spurts of fire were being sent her way but every time she dodged, working her way closer to Kai so she could get a better shot. The more fire he threw and the more she dodged, the closer she got.

After a couple of minutes of dodging she finally decided to send one back at him, sliding her foot along the floor, spurts of fire started to come out from her heels knocking Kai backwards.

'And I won' Lien said as her blood pulsed through her body.

'No you didn't, you cheated' Kai said moodily

'No I beat you' she laughed pulling Kai up.

'Rematch' Kai said.

'Nope im hungry, you coming to nick some food from the kitchens'

'Yeah' Said Zuko and Kai at the same time feeling the hunger pangs in there own belly.

'Well let's go' she whispered as they snuck out the arena and towards the kitchen doors.

As they peeped through the kitchen doors, they seen the whole kitchen was empty, no chefs but a lot of food.

'They all must be occupied with the war meeting' Zuko muttered.

'Yeah must be' Lien whispered as she crept through the door.

'Come on you guys don't be scared' she laughed.

'Were not scared, are we Zuko?'

'No course not'

'Well hurry up, before I eat all this food for myself' she said sticking her hand into the chocolate cake.

'Yummy this cake is amazing' she said scooping out another bit as the guys went for the pineapple upside down cake and the volcano cake.

'Hey guys, taste this volcano cake' said Zuko, his hands covered with sweet sticky sauce.

'Yummy' Lien and Kai said at the same time.

Suddenly there was footsteps coming down the corridor

'Oh no, some ones coming' Lien hissed feeling her heart beating in the pit of stomach.

'Come on lets get out of here' Kai said dragging Lien out from under the table. Lien spotted that Kai was holding her hand and it felt good. As they ran and ran down the corridor they accidentally bumped into fire lady Ursa. 'Sorry mum' Kai and Zuko said. 'Sorry fire lady Ursa' Lien said dropping to the floor which was what all fire nation people done when in the presence of a noble or a royal. 'Lien please don't call me fire lady, just call me Ursa and please stand up' Ursa laughed.

'Yes Ursa'

'So what have use children been up too?' she asked, looking at the chocolate and sweet sauce on there mouths.

'Ummm nothing mum' Kai muttered looking at the floor.

'We were practising our firebending' Zuko said with a sweet innocent smile.

'Is that right, then what is this?' she said with a laugh as she wiped the sweet sauce away from Zuko's mouth.

'Have use been in the kitchens?' Ursa said pretending to be strict.

'Yes' they all muttered.

'Don't worry I wont tell anyone' she laughed.

'Thank you' they said smiling as Ursa walked away.

As they carried on walking down the corridor, they seen a man and a women kissing.

'Get a room' Lien shouted as they walked past.

'I wonder what its like' Zuko muttered.

'Yeah, I wonder if it's nice.' Kai muttered as well.

'Hmmm well there's only one way to find out' Lien said acting wise beyond her years.

'What way' Kai said.

'Hmmm how about find a girl and kiss her' Lien whispered and then laughed.

'Well Lien you're a girl' Zuko muttered.

'Yeah and?'

'Well why don't we kiss you, and see what its like'

'Ha-ha, you got to be kidding me' Lien laughed.

'No' Zuko said staring at her 'Please?'

'Fine' Lien muttered 'Who's going to go first'

'Me' shouted Zuko and Kai.

'I know lets flip a coin' Lien said tossing the coin in the air.

'Kai heads or tails?'

'Heads'

'Sorry its tails, ok Zuko pucker up' Lien laughed but she felt nervous as well.

Lien's and Zuko's mouths finally touched and Lien had to admit it was alright but it was a bit soggy and wet for her liking. Kai was busy timing and looked at the watch. 'Right guys, break it up its been three minutes now'

But they didn't hear Kai, they were in there own little world. When they finally broke up, they both had a smile on there face but quickly turned to Kai and went 'GROSS!'

'Ok it's my turn now' Kai said he couldn't help but feel jealous.

'Ok, pucker up' Lien whispered.

When Lien's and Kai's lips touched, it felt alright it was a bit better then Zuko's kiss it wasn't as wet but she could feel something slippery touch her lips, it felt like a worm. When they broke up, she didn't say anything she just stood there. Kai looked at her with a half smile on his face which then turned into a grimace and went 'im never kissing a girl again' he said laughing.

'It wasn't that bad' Lien laughed punching Kai in the arm.

'Ha-ha that didn't hurt' Kai said turning away, not wanting Lien and Zuko to see him mouth ow and the tears that came spurting from his eyes.

'Are you alright Kei' Lien said looking at him with a guilty look on her face.

Kai quickly wiped the tears away and looked up and regained his regal attitude.

'Course I'm fine, you didn't think you had hurt me did you?' Kei laughed.

Jun Pov

'Hi guys' Jun said running up to Azula, Mai and Ty-lee.

'Hi Jun' Azula said but from Jun's point of view it look like she had spat the words out.

'Hi Jun' Ty-lee chirped, running up and giving her a big hug.

'Hi Jun' Mai whispered as she sat down under the tree and fiddled with her fingers.

'We are going to do some cartwheels and somersaults today' Azula ordered.

'I don't want to do somersaults and cartwheels, but why should I say anything it's not like my opinion matters, and I don't want my parents to hate me' she thought feeling so insecure, as she watched Ty-lee doing a perfect cartwheel.

Azula tried as hard as she could to do a perfect cartwheel like Ty-lee's but she failed miserably, not being able to do a simple cartwheel made her think she was stupid. Her anger burned inside of her, so she decided to release it by pushing Ty-lee over. Ty-lee hit the floor with a loud thud; it must have hurt her as she started crying.

'Azula you cant do that' Jun shouted.

'What did you just say?' Azula spat as her blood began to boil, no one answered back to her.

'Nothing Azula' Jun said remembering what her father had said; she must stay on the princess's good side. 'I wish I could slap some sense into her, but then my parents would look at me like they do my sister, I'd rather be perfect then not be loved or not wanted' she thought to herself feeling so very alone, like no one understood anything about her.

Lien Pov

Lien's and Jun's mother and father and finally come out off the meeting and were out searching for there daughters. It didn't take so long to find Jun she was still under the tree practising her cartwheels. 'Jun come on, were going say good bye to your friends'

'Ok mum, bye Azula, Mai and Ty-lee'

'Darling why don't you and Jun go wait in the carriage and I'll go get Lien' there father said.

'Ok, come along Jun'

There father went looking for Lien and found her in the arena with Kai and Zuko. 'Lien come on were going'

'Ok, im coming, bye guys'

'Bye Lien' said Kai and Zuko as they walked off to find their mum and dad.

'So I see your fire bending is coming along' her father muttered.

'Yeah it is' Lien said proudly, feeling like her father for once cared about her.

'So who has been training you?'

'My self and sometimes Kai and Zuko'

'That's kind of the boys to teach you'

'Yeah it is'

'Lien you need to start behaving and dressing nicely your nearly twelve and you can be betrothed then'

'What ever' Lien muttered as she looked at the floor 'He is always on about that, why can't he just love me for who I am not what he wants me to become' she thought as tears worked there way down her cheeks.

'If you try hard like your sister then may be we could marry you off to one of the young princes' her father said proudly as he talked about Jun.

'Is that all your care about, marrying me and my sister off to royals or rich nobles?' Lien shouted feeling like her father was treating them like prize cattle that were read to go to market.

'No'

'Because I will not marry any one you pick out for me, I will marry someone that I want to marry, who I love' she screamed at him, letting all the tears that had built up finally fall down her cheeks.

'Lien love doesn't get you a high status or money, marriage does' he snapped.

'What ever' she said quickly wiping away her tears.

'Start acting like a lady'

'I will not'

'You will' he uttered as they stepped into the carriage.

'So mother what was the meeting about?' Jun asked, trying to make her mother see how perfect she was.

'Betrothals, Fire lord Ozai wants two girls of good background and status to marry the two young princes'

'Who is it going to be mother?' Jun said excitedly.

'We do not know yet, but I have put use girls forward for judgement' her mother said in her proudest voice.

'Yay' Jun shrieked but she was barely heard over Lien's shouting.

'WHAT! You put us forward without even asking what we thought' she screamed seeing her sister and her mother and fathers proud smug faces, it sickened her down to the core.

'Lien know listen its not official'

'But you still put our names forward, how predictable of you mother' she screamed as the carriage pulled up at the house.

'Lien please use your indoor voice, the neighbours can hear'

'I don't care' she shouted as she stormed off into the house 'Why can she never listen to anything I have to say, I wish I was never born' she screamed inside her head.

Jun ran in after her twin.

'What are we going to do with that child' there mother said disappointingly.

'I really do not know'

Jun ran up the stairs to there bedroom to find her sister screaming into her pillow.

'Are you alright?'

'Do I look alright?'

'Well no but'

'But what?'

'Why aren't you happy, Kai and Zuko are the most gorgeous boys you could ever see'

'It's not about that' Lien snapped, shoving her face back into the pillow.

'What is it about?' Jun said cautiously.

'Its about mum and dad, they always treat me like I don't exist, they don't love me, there not proud of me' she screamed, finally letting all her feelings that had been built up inside of her out, 'You are the perfect one, the one they love, the one that they are proud off'

'You think im happy being perfect, you think I want to be this way, I would give anything to be you Lien' Jun snapped, 'I don't see myself as perfect so I try to make people think I am, mum and dad only love me cause I act perfect and they think im perfect, but I'm not, I want to tell people what I think but I can't'

'Jun im so sorry, i never knew.'

'Lien it's so hard pretending, I want to be my own person but I don't know how, I want mum and dad to love me and the only way is to be perfect' she sobbed as her tears of anguish runned down her face.

'Jun, listen to me, even if mum and dad look at you, like they look at me, just remember I will always love you' Lien whispered, as she wrapped her arms around her sister.

'Thank Lien' Jun said as she turned and sobbed into her sisters arms, she felt so much better for letting it all out.

Lien sat and thought of when they were younger and how there mother and father used to be proud of her and how she could have spotted Jun's insecurities and stopped her feeling like that. Rocking her sister to sleep, she couldn't help but release some tears, she felt like it was her fault her sister was insecure and for once she was seeing what life was like for her sister through her Jun's eyes.