Opening Words:

I played around a lot with the character, I decided since we've had Kuruk, Kyoshi, Yangchen, Roku, Aang and even Korra that I wanted to explore an Avatar in a time before all of them. A young and reluctant Avatar who does not want the duty placed upon her. It'll follow her development as a person. Navara will often be conflicted and confused in how to handle her placeas Avatar, hopefully as this continues she will lose some of the conflict within her and be for update rate, it will depend on when inspiration strikes.

Each one must do their given duty; personal feelings should not be brought into duty; what is one person in the face of thousands of others? A mantra repeated to her from a young age, a mantra she now knew by heart. For on her shoulders lay a duty to all who lived, not to her own people, not to those of her blood, but to all alive. Navara, her name was an apt naming, Lone Island, had her father foreseen that she would be separated from the rest? Did he see that as the Avatar she was forever cursed to remain held above all others, to be revered, or to be hated?

"Dinner is being served shortly, Lady Avatar," the servant informed her, a deep bow at his waist as he spoke to her, he did not raise his eyes to look at her, not when he thought she could see him, but she noticed curious glances when she was not facing him directly. There was a certain nervousness about him, she sensed it nearly everywhere she went and had already came to loathe it.

Navara nodded but said nothing as she rose from her seat and straightened her blue silk robes, a gift from her host and followed the alread walking servant towards the dining hall. The halls of the residence were decorated lavishly, she found them gaudy compared to the simple beauty of her home and found that she was ill at ease within the Fire Nation.

Entering the hall meant that all eyes present turned to face her, Navara nodded as she seated herself, the others followed suit. The meal was simple, or simple by the standards of her hosts but she found the blander foods, lacking the stronger spices of this land far more appetising than some of the fare she had been served prior to this meal.

Her host was a man named Zhang, he was young having inherited early when his father passed away due to illness and was particularly interested in Navara for reasons other than being the Avatar. Unmarried and comely combined with the political power she commanded meant she was a particularly sought after wife by many, others were intimidated and did not vie for her affections, she preferred those.

The meal consisted of light talk of various goings on of the area, none of which she found interesting and although as Avatar she was supposed to be aware and involved in many things she did not try to follow it. The fact that Zhang often let his gaze stray from the others at the meal and to Navara did not go unnoticed and she knew that Isla, his mother was watching with narrowed eyes.

Isla when she spoke caused the entire table to go silent. "Lady Navara, have you given any thought of marriage? Any child produced from your union would be a powerful bender, or so the tales of the offspring of an Avatar say. Some legends say that a child could be a bender of any of the elements." The woman who at forty four years was still beautiful let a cold smile cross her face.

Navara looked at Isla keeping the passive face of an Avatar and answered, "Duty dictates my life, I was born for one reason and indulging in being a wife and mother is not one of them."Immediately glances were exchanged by those at the table, uneasy and wary of what was to come. "Those are luxuries that I doubt I will come by, Lady Isla."

"Forgive me, I spoke without thinking." Isla said visibly wilted at the lack of reaction.

Navara nodded."As we all do at times."

Isla swallowed. "Yes, as we all do at times."

The dining hall was silent after that, no-one dared to speak but instead exchanged glances and concentrated on eating their food, although much of what was on plates was simply scraped around and toyed with.

Navara didn't eat much and was the first to rise and leave the room.

Swapping the fine silk robes gifted to her she instead wound her sarashi around her to serve as undergarments before pulling on the thin blue, purple and white tunic of her nation. The last thing she did before she left the house was attach a water-skin to her belt, it would not do to be caught without her favoured style of bending available. Walking through the halls she navigated her way to the back entrance, passing by a few tapestries that showed firebenders, she almost stopped to study a few of them but the desire to be free of the house was too much.

The streets at this time of the evening were quiet, she preferred it that way as she left the confines of the small town and ventured into what was considered countryside. It was different to home, but as the Avatar she had to acknowledge that she should not favour one nation over another. The Avatar must hold each Nation as equal in their mind.

It was sudden when a onslaught of fireballs came speeding towards her, immediately she formed a shield of fire, although she would have preferred to use her water bending to do so. Her shield was more than enough to protect her from her flames. Tense and alert she scanned the area waiting for a movement to signal another attack. On the assumption that this was an assassination attempt she would have to find the threat and snuff it out before she was caught off guard and killed.

"I am aware of your presence and very much alive, come out and save me the trouble of hunting you," Navara raised her voice as she spoke in a passive tone. She betrayed no anger as she stood straightbacked and seemingly unconcerned. Within minutes she knew she was not alone on the country road.

Coming out of the darkness was a man, Navara swallowed as she made out his features, disregarding the fact he quite possible as an assassin she could not fail to notice that he was in fact rather handsome. He towered over Navara and moved with a lethal grace that she could appreciate as that of a skilled bender.

"I was paid to kill you," the man admitted his eyes on Navara, "not that you are aware there is no longer a chance for me to succeed. I am at your mercy."

Stepping forwards and with a serene face that Navara knew should unsettle her attacker she only stopped when she stood close enough to touch him. "If I am merciful then I invite others to try, if I kill any attackers than others may not dare to in the future."

"I have been watching you. I know that you seek out a new teacher in Fire-bending, your training in incomplete because the first is dead. I can train you, I will give my word of honour that I will not harm or kill you..not that I could." He proposed looking at her with no hint of fear in his eyes or posture, he stood tall and confident.

It was insanity that she was even considering accepting his proposal, to kill him now or have him taken into custody would be the correct thing for her to do but she looked at him and saw honesty in his eyes. "I accept," her composure broke as said those two words, she wanted to take them back but it was too late and she would not second guess herself. "Cross me and I will kill you with no regrets." She warned him.

He laughed. "I do not doubt that. I'll be sure to never give you reason to do so, Navara."

The use of her name without the addition of the customary 'Lady' or 'Avatar' had her taken aback at the informality that he had used around her but she did not comment and simply looked at him as she waited expectantly for his name.

"Ankor, my name is Ankor. I'm sure we'll have a good time together." He said calmly, then he winked at her and it was then that Navara lost total composure and let her jaw drop in shock due to the manner the man acted in. This man was quite unlike any other she had met.

Navara took a breath as she replaced the passive mask on her face. "I will be watching you." She warned him.

"I'll also be watching you, especially if you decide to wear Fire nation clothes." Ankor informed her in a voice that told her clearly he was teasing her.

Navara closed her eyes wondering if she had made the right choice.