A/N Definitely don't own Avatar, (so don't come after me, Nick/Viacom! It's just a fanmade piece, with no profits made from it whatsoever! 0.0) So, it takes place sometime before the war and one reason why it began. (Sorry, but because it's kind of a prequel, none of the normal characters will be appearing in it…Unless you count Sozin as one, (aka Zuko's grandfather), then I guess that counts). Comments and constructive criticism welcome!
Three Steps Behind
Chapter One
Although the air in the corridor was still, there was an electrified feel about the day. There were giggles rising from near the back of the entourage, caused by an overwhelming giddiness by the young ladies of court. At the front, the Fire Lord himself was very solemn in mood, as were his guards and counsels who walked with him. His son, only eight years of age, found his attention drawn elsewhere. The boy's eyes darted from an insect that flew about to a guard who walked too stiffly for his own good, and back forward when his father coughed in disapproval. The princess, and now eldest of the Fire Lord's children, did not share any of their moods. In fact, she looked down at her feet as she walked in her dark red ceremonial robes, blinking slowly before looking towards her father.
"But why do I have to get a guard, father?" she asked quietly.
"Because it is tradition, Jaiyi. All ladies must choose a guard for protection, as they will stay with them at least until those women are married. I have told you this before," he replied, his gaze remaining forward. "In these troubled times it is imperative that we keep our family safe, even if it is something we do not want to do."
The doors at the end of the hall were opened by the awaiting servants, the bright light of the afternoon streaming into their views. It was then that the boy prince ran to the railing of the now open walkway, looking on in awe at the wide open training field below. As the group came to a halt, they could see that there were hundreds of men, ranging from all ages, who were sharpening their skills below.
"Look carefully, daughter, for all of these men have trained diligently for your approval," the Fire Lord spoke, the princess stepping forward.
"Where're they all from?" she inquired, tilting her head slightly.
"From every nation. There are warriors from the water tribes, fighters from the earth kingdom, monks from the air temples, and, of course, fire nations warriors who have thought of nothing else but this day."
Her upper lip became stern, turning to face him with slight anger in her eyes. "But I don't want someone to protect me, I want to protect myself! Why can't I learn fire bending like So—"
"That's enough!" he demanded quietly, making her wince.
She paused for a moment in embarrassment, then lowered her head. "Forgive me, father. I was out of line."
Quickly she returned to the railing, trying to find anything to occupy her vision. Her eyes landed on the group of air benders, one in particular who seemed to be having trouble. The others around him toyed with a leaf he was trying to balance on his forefinger, blowing it from side to side and out of his reach. Without warning, when he finally got it back, one teenage boy would literally pull the air around his feet and make him trip forward into a puddle the water benders were using for practice. They laughed wildly with this, and without retaliation he stood, summoning a blast of air to at least dry the mud off his clothes. She knew it was wrong, but she couldn't help but smirk—after all, it was quite a prank with a bending power she had never seen before.
From out of the ruckus came the low tone of a gong, the groups below going silent briefly before huddling together for one final talk with their leaders. The Fire Lord turned to walk down the white steps leading to the floor below, his family and fellow court members following shortly after him.
The men formed from their obscure groups into well organized rows, standing at attention while facing a pavilion situated at the bottom of the stairs. The girls who were excited before were now beat red in the face as they sat in the front along with the princess, followed by the armed soldiers to their sides and the Fire Lord and his son seated at the back. They were already scouting the crowd to find the biggest, strongest, and more handsome men, whispering to each other who they liked and didn't like. The only trouble was the girl all the warriors held the most interest in had no desire in choosing any one of them, with her eyes facing down into the dirt.
"Attention, men from all reaches of the world!" an attendant began to speak loudly on behalf of the ruler himself. "You are here today for one purpose, something you have trained your entire lives to achieve. You are here to fulfill your duty as protectors of the royal family of the Fire Nation, one of the most honorable and prestigious dynasties. Our ladies will choose those of you who are worthy, to hold the title of a Fire Nation Guard, and to live and die by this name!" There was a moment of silence before he continued, some of the girls anxiously raising slightly off their seats. "Ladies, you may begin."
Some took off with a squeal, running over and examining every one that they had been eyeing. Princess Jaiyi, on the other hand, waited a moment before getting to her feet. If she had waiting any longer, she knew that those holes being burned into the back of her head from her father's eyes would have been permanent. Without much care she shifted through each of the lines, barely looking up at any of them and, in fact, almost began to daydream about what dinner was going to be. She came out of it, however, as something moved at her feet. Drearily she looked to her side, seeing the nervous eyes of the boy she had seen earlier. Apparently he was trying too hard to stand at attention, and his toes were not completely in alignment. She could see him shaking, but put on a façade of interest anyway.
"What is your name?" she asked dully, his eyes nearly reaching her gaze but snapping back into their correct position.
"My name is Aiguo," he responded in a hushed voice.
She raised an eyebrow. "How old are you, Aiguo?"
"I-I'm ten..." he replied.
He was no older than she was, which made her smile a little inside. She didn't want an older man protecting her—the last thing she needed was another father figure telling her what was proper and what wasn't. Besides, she wanted to see the look on the other boys' faces if she picked him—maybe they'd be surprised. As she stood back and pointed to him, a solider came and asked for her approval. Though she wasn't sure if her father would appreciate such a young boy as her guard, she nodded her head regardless, and he was asked to come to the front. Looking back, she was right about one thing—the boys were pale in shock, almost looking weak in the knees.
When all was said and done, the girls returned to their seats in the front of the pavilion, and the chosen few were lined up in the front. The attendant from earlier stood before them and pulled an aged scroll from his side, unwinding it and presenting it out so he could read for all to hear. The soldiers who had pulled the men from their lines unsheathed ancient daggers, gleaming in the late afternoon sun. Most knew what to do, like they had been there many times before, holding out their hand as they fell to one knee. Aiguo, on the other hand, looked a little confused, unsure how it should all be done but copied the older men as best he could.
"You have been chosen to guard the court ladies of the Fire Nation, one of the most highly coveted and sacred honors that could be bestowed upon a warrior." With those words the soldiers stepped forward, slicing the sharpened blades across the palms of the waiting men, who would then clench their hands into fists and let the blood begin to ooze from their fingers. "In this blood oath you swear to protect our children and our bloodline until their marriage days, and until death you will be bound by this solid duty. Now," he turned the scroll to face them, extending the bottom that was covered in dried handprints set in blood, "if you pledge this allegiance, give us your word."
One by one the men placed their hands upon the parchment, and slowly it finally reached the boy at the end. Although his eyes told a story of pain, his face tried to remain expressionless like the others, pressing down his stained hand on whatever space he could find. With one short congratulation from the Fire Lord a gong rang in the distance, and they rose to their feet.
Softly the girl who sat at Jaiyi's left nudge in her in the side, leaning over to whisper in her ear. "Why did you choose the shrimp?"
"He seems good enough to defend me," she replied half-heartedly, speaking just as inaudibly as she was.
"Really?" she questioned.
The girl to her right leaned in to eavesdrop, smiling mischievously. "Well, he is an air bender. Maybe he's the next avatar."
Jaiyi rolled her eyes, shaking her head as she stood to make her way to the dining hall along with the rest of the court. "If he was the avatar, he wouldn't be here."
Later that night, the celebrations continued with a large dinner prepared for the new soldiers. With their hands bandaged and their stomachs become full, the men got to know the other members of the court, more or less the parents of the children they were to defend. Although it was a meal of respect, the audience was small, the Fire Lord retiring early and the children running off to play or told to go to their rooms. The boy named Aiguo felt a little awkward being around all the adults, almost as if he were being ignored, even when he had been given the highest title of guard amongst the people at the table. He would barely touch his food, and after a while he would excuse himself from the table.
The air was warm even when the sun had left around the horizon, the dining hall's conversations dimming into a faded echoes as he walked towards the outside walkway. Even from a distance, however, he began to hear sobs and spouts of anger, coming to stop when he realized it was some of the other children. He stood at the edge of the entrance, peering around the corner to where Princess Jaiyi had collapsed to her knees and was crying in her hands. Her younger brother was there, trying to comfort her, with the other girls standing with concern riddled on their faces.
"Why, why do we have that stupid tradition?!" she shouted, the girls trying to shush her from being to loud. "I don't want a guard! I want to learn fire bending, I want to protect myself! Why can't anyone understand that?!"
"But it's better this way, my lady. You're the Fire Lord's eldest child now, and—" one of the other girl's began.
"And what?" she snapped. "I need to be kept safe? I was second rate only a few months ago, a child of his second wife, and girl out of the proud lineage of sons! No—this isn't fair! It's just not fair!"
Her brother's eyes began to water at his sister's discomfort, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Jaiyi, I promise when I become Fire Lord someday I'm going make sure everyone can learn fire bending!"
The boy's gesture made her smile, patting him on the top of the head. "Thank you, Sozin. You'll be a great ruler someday."
With the air came the dust, and one just so happen to manage its way in front of Aiguo's nose. His sneeze would push him to stumble forward, looking up slowly to meet the surprised gazes of the royal children, especially Jaiyi's. But the stunned reticence wouldn't last as a solider came around the opposite corner, speaking low in a tired voice.
"There you are, boy. I've been requested to show you to your quarters." He looked over in the dim light, seeing the princess as she rose to her feet. "Is everything alright, my lady?"
"Yes, everything's fine," she replied shortly, beginning to walk away.
Aiguo narrowed his eyes in thought, but was asked to follow the solider. The corridors and outer walkways were lit well in some places, but darker in the residential areas. His room would be located on the upper floors of the palace, closer to the royal family themselves. He was surprised, yet grateful, to find that it was his own room, and not to be split with the other guards. At home he was forced to share a space with the other hopefuls who had come, but he wasn't complaining.
"This will be your room," the soldier said sternly, Aiguo listening very intently. "Your cloths will be taken and brought back by a servant, and your meals will be served alongside the princess's. You are to spend the general day with her, never letting her out of your sight. If it so happens that we are at political turmoil, you are never to leave her side, and if we are attacked, you are to defend her with your life. You are never to touch the princess, for she is fragile, and if you are even found brushing against her you will be punished. If you disobey any of these laws, it will be high treason on your part, and you will be at the Fire Lord's mercy. Do you understand?"
Aiguo's eyes were large and worried by this time, but swallowed his concern and gave a short nod. With that the solider wished him a good night and left him.
He was stunned by his regal surroundings, more extravagant than he had ever seen. The bed was large enough to fit five of him in, draped elegantly with dark red sheets and lined at the top with pillows. A small breeze came in from the large, carved out doors, the world extending out past the palace walls from what he could see on the balcony. The wooden floors were spotless, and so were the dressers and their contents of new, fresh smelling clothes. Though he was tempted to smile at it all, all he could think about was the princess's words as he slowly crawled onto the top sheet and flopped on his back.
In all honesty, he wondered if he was even wanted there and, if not, why was he there? He only did it to prove the others wrong, that he could make something of himself, but…had he thrown his life away just to prove a point? His vision dwindled while gazing up to the ceiling, his tired eyes acting on their own to find the realm of sleep.
The next morning, he woke by a sudden jerk at his shoulder, sitting up quickly. To his side there was an old woman, smiling sweetly with a pair of clean clothes in her hands.
"The princess had requested an audience with you, good sir," she said, Aiguo eyeing her groggily before taking the bundle. "I'll just wait for you outside."
After a change of attire, now a pale green tunic shirt and dark red pants, she would show him a little ways down the tall, now brightly-lit hall and around the corner. It wasn't very far until they reached a beautifully painted set of wooden doors and, with a small knock, they entered. The princess's room was at least twice the size of his, manned at the doors by two fully armored soldiers and women servants who stood off to the side. She sat at a low table at the front of the room, near the open doors similar in style to that of his room's. Without looking up she waved him over to sit on the opposite side of her, holding a cup of tea in her hand. As he took a seat, he could see the sadness worn all over her face.
"Good morning, Aiguo. I hope you slept well…Look, I know you heard me last night and I just want to say—" she started to explain, but looked up. Her face suddenly cracked into a smile, moving the tea cup over her mouth trying not to laugh. "What are you wearing?"
He raised an eyebrow, staring down at what he thought was his new uniform. His brown eyes grew big, rubbing his bald head in question. Looking back up to her, she couldn't help but burst out laughing, shaking her head.
"First of all, that shirt is way too big for you! You need a belt or something…" She stood suddenly, racing over to one of the soldiers and grabbing the sash around his waist. Walking over she handed it to one of the servants, sitting back down. "Stand up and have her put that on you."
Without question he did what he was asked, outstretching his arms as the woman wrapped it around his middle, securing it properly at his side. He had to admit, he wasn't quite sure what change she was talking about, but she seemed to be happy. The princess nodded her head, taking another sip of her tea as he sat across from her again.
"See, now you look better. Plus, you might want to try growing your hair out. The bald headed look doesn't really suit you, I think."
Inside he was becoming slightly irate, taking offense to all her talk. She seemed to notice, though, when her smiled faded, shaking her head.
"I did it again…I'm having trouble trying not to poke fun at people all the time. I get it from my brothers…or, I did get it from them…" She sniffed a bit, blinking slowly. "I wanted to say I'm sorry for yesterday. Really, you're pretty much giving your life to save mine, and I should be more grateful. You really know why you're here, right?" He shook his head shortly. "My elder brothers…they died in training about a year ago. They were out at sea and a storm hit, and they fell overboard. They would've been sixteen tomorrow…For the longest time, they were the world to my family. When their mother died and father remarried, I was just another child, nothing important. But now that they're gone I'm the eldest child, and everyone wants to keep me safe…" She smiled softly, ringing her finger around the rim of the cup. "I'm sorry for what I said. I'm just…it's just been a long year."
He smiled a bit, nodding his head slowly. Although he couldn't really relate to her situation, he at least felt some sympathy for her anguish, and that was probably all she wanted. With a heavy heart she put her drink aside and reached for the teapot, her eyes gazing up to him.
"You know, all the other girls picked guys who, well, are good at what they do. I was hoping that, although I know it's your duty to protect me, that we could be fr—" she stated, briefly letting it dwell in his mind before her elbow bumped into what was left in her cup.
As Aiguo reached to pick it up, so did the princess. He hesitated quickly when he saw her hand coming, feeling the air almost be sucked out of the room as the servants held their breath and the soldiers braced their hands near their weapons with his action. Luckily he had not touched her, but his face grew pale in wondering what would have happened if he had. Yet Jaiyi continued to grin, pretending as if nothing had happened, and offered a bread roll to start him off for breakfast.