Laughter is heard throughout the garden from the royal family. I am leaning against the rail of a pond, observing Princess Izumi animatedly chatter with both of her parents. They are having lunch of rice porridge on a bench. You can easily tell they are a family by the appearances Izumi inherits from each of her parents. I can sence Fire Lord Zuko's joyful attitude when talking to his daughter. He plants a kiss on the top of her head even when she is 18 years old. Princess Izumi and I are both the same age. We have complete different roles, complete different experiences.
Eighteen was the age Mother gave birth to me. Nineteen years have passed since Mother ran away from this palace, from Fire Lord Zuko. I release a sigh as I bend my head to stare at the pond which is filled with numerous orange and red fishes.
I never thought I can be homesick. I miss my home, my old job and my parents. I been away from them for nine months. The only communication I have with them now is through letters. If I quit or get fired from this bodyguard job then Mother's ambition won't be fulfilled. That would mean I am no use to her.
My ears perk at the sound of Fire Lord Zuko's chuckles as he pinkie swear with his daughter at a bet she offered.
Seeing this makes me think of Father and Mother. I remember the last time I pinkie swear with Father.
"Daddy, is that Mommy?" My five year old self pointed at the portrait that my father was painting. Father was painting a portrait of a woman. My eyes first landed at her gold eyes, to her plump lips and lastly, to the dark strands of hair that framed her face. I thought she looked very pretty.
"Yes, that is Mommy," Father answered as he started to paint the background of the portrait pink. He halted his painting and laid the paintbrush on his desk.
"Aya," he whispered silently while he turned his head to check if Mother was nearby his study room. That night Mother slept early due to her long fire bending practice.
"What Daddy?"
He leaned down into to me. "Will you promise not to tell anybody this if I tell you something? Especially Mommy?"
I nodded.
"Pinkie swear?" Father let out his pinkie to me. His tan skin contrasted to Mother's fair skin.
"Pinkie swear." I wrapped my tiny pinkie around his until I broke away our contact.
"Okay," he whispered to me. "In two days I will ask Mommy to marry me." I remember how my father grinned ear to ear with shyness when he confessed to me.
I had a giant, toothy smile simply because my father looked happy to me. At the age of five, I already knew that my parents had me out of wed lock. Farther told me the truth due to me noticing how certain adults looked at me differently compared to the other children in my hometown. Even when knowing this information I never once thought to think why they haven't married before.
"Will there be a cake? What kind of dress will Mommy wear? Will I be a flower girl?" I asked endlessly.
Father chuckled. "Aya, when the time comes we will talk about it."
He pulled his pinkie up to me. "Remember what we promise."
I pulled out my pinkie and continued to smile at him. "Your secret is safe, Daddy."
I sigh again. I am homesick. I miss my parents. Although missing my parents won't help me on my promise to Mother.
"Aya, let me braid your hair too," The Fire Nation Queen suggests to me after she finished braiding Princess's Izumi's dark hair. The three of us are all alone in Princess Izumi's room in this silent night.
I direct my gaze to the Queen. She looks at me so kindly with much sincere. She had a more serene, calm aura compared to Mother's first expression when meeting people.
"Your Highness, I'm sorry I am a mere bodyguard. Nothing more and nothing less," I decline.
"No, Aya, I insist," she says and smiles sweetly at me, "As the Queen this is an order."
"Come on, Aya, it's only us here," the Princess adds.
I am in no position to reject the offer from the Queen and Princess. Every little action I do could either strengthen or crumble my plan, my promise. When I untie my pony tail, my lengthy, thick hair flow down to my back as I walk toward the large bed where the Queen and Princess are sitting on.
The Queen continues to wear the same smile as she pats a spot in front of her. "Sit here."
I obey and she starts braiding my hair. My hair haven't been braided or decorated in accessories for so long. Since being a bodyguard my hair is fashioned in a ponytail and sometimes in a bun. Even my hair and appearance plays a role in this secret mission I pledge to achieve.
"Your hair is so beautiful, Aya. With your hair down you look like a princess than a bodyguard," the Queen compliments.
Mother also believes that my hair is beautiful. Mother used to tell me when fire bending not even one strand of hair should fall out of place. According to her, perfection leads to success.
The Queen proceeds to talk. "It has been one week since our Fire Lord's Birthday and I am still amazed at your dance performance. Sometimes I forget you were a professional dancer."
At first, everyone in the palace thought it was strange for a dancer to become a personal bodyguard for the Princess. I myself agree to this due to how both professions are completely opposite. If I am not the Princess's bodyguard then I would have still be doing something I passionately enjoy. I would be practicing dance moves instead of scheming a plot and deceiving people who were once part of my mother's life. If I haven't applied for this job then Mother's desire would endlessly swallow her up. Being a capable fire bender gave me the upper hand to be hired.
"Were your parents dancers too?" Princess Izumi asks.
"I am the only dancer in my family," I respond.
"It makes you have unique traits by having skills of a dancer and fire bender," the Queen joins in. "Come to think of it, Aya, you rarely mention your parents."
Yes, the Queen is right. I rarely mention my parents, let alone my mother. If I do so they will discover my true purpose of being here. They will become hostile and quickly disburse me and even track down Mother. I am limited to what I can say about her to these people. Failing this mission, despite my complicated feelings during these past nine months, would greatly disappoint Mother.
"As a bodyguard, there are not much opportunities to talk about my parents," I say.
"Then tell me anything about your parents right now," the Queen proposed. "After all, you are close to me and Izumi. I want to know more about you."
I may be close to the Princess, my cousin, who doesn't know we share the same royal blood, but not close enough for me to reveal too much of myself. As for the Queen, she is another distraction to get by the Fire Lord. The royal family offer me trust and gratitude contrast to how I fool them by my words and actions.
"My father is a painter who came from a line of business men," I confess.
"And your mom?"
I hesitate for a split second. I cannot reveal too much of Mother.
"Mother is a fire bender."
"Done," the Queen says and hands me a mirror.
I peer down into the hand mirror and examine my braid. The braid was in a long tail just like the Princess's.
"Thank you, Your Highness," I thank her.
The Queen's eyes travel back and forth between the Princess and I. "Aya, you and Izumi have the same gold color eyes," she comments.
I use a false smile as a reply to the Queen to simply hide the thoughts lurking in my mind.
She is right we have the same gold color eyes. These gold eyes are the only thing I have in common besides the blood I share with the royal family. Your Highness, these gold eyes of mine are supposed to be the last thing you see before I destroy this peaceful life you comfortably live in. I will destroy each person who comes in my way even when I feel remorse for my motives.
I am my mother's daughter who vowed to keep her promise. After all as a fire bender, Mother taught me how destructive fire can be.
A/N:
Thank you for the reviews so far. They are all inspirational and appreciative. Plus, it helps me be aware of what I lack in writing. :)
I will reveal more of Aya's past, personality and how her parents met in future chapters.