Ok, since there seems to be a constant lack of opinion regarding the Prologue, I'll just upload the second chapter now and keep my hopes up!
Oh, there is something I forgot to put in the header in the first chapter! SPOILER ALERT FOR ALL THREE SEASONS!
A fresh start
I was stranded on the shores of the earth kingdom, having nothing but the clothes I wore and the insignia of the Fire Nation on my robes. I knew not where I was, at least now exactly, so I just decided a general direction and headed north-east. At the first opportunity I stole a set of Earth Kingdom clothing and hid myself in a cave for the night, only my firebending keeping me from freezing to death. In the morning I resumed journey again but felt the hunger and the grief catch up with me at last. My parents were dead; I was away from my home, my nation, my friend and brother. Stricken I lay down, crying over the lost lives and my lost home and how destiny had betrayed me. Until I heard a warm voice not very far away. A young girl stood by my side, not even ten, concerned about me crying helplessly in the woods near her town.
"Are you hurt?" she asked. I couldn't answer and just nodded.
"You look hungry. My mommy always makes enough to eat, you could come with me." I was overwhelmed at such gratitude and such friendliness, that I couldn't refuse the claim. I walked behind her, as she told me of her home and said that perhaps I could sleep there overnight. For a girl of her age she was incredibly bright and trusting. I sometimes doubt if she would have acted the same if I hadn't worn Earth Kingdom clothing.
When we reached her home, a nice little farm with lots of land around, I couldn't stop myself from marvelling my surroundings. It seemed so peaceful. So perfect. I couldn't think of anything that needed improvement, much less from my nation. That must have been the first time ever for me to deem the War useless and overrated.
As we drew close to her home, two people walked out in front. A man and a woman. Seeing that this must have been the girl's parents, I knelt down (an unknown movement at the time, as I seldom knelt ever, except in front of the Fire Lord) and asked them if they could give me shelter for the night. In turn I would help them with whatever they desired. To make a long story short, they took me in and gave me food enough to make me content and shelter so I could sleep in peace. The first two nights were difficult; I don't really remember them, for I cried often. I was still grieved over my loss and they seemed to understand me in a way. I never told them I was from the Fire Nation, afraid they would kill me or worse turn me back to my land, where my penalty would have been torture, as I was sure. I did tell them that I had lost my parents though and they understood.
I dwelt there for a while, helping them in farming the land and feeding the animals and experienced the first time with inner peace of me and my surroundings. I became a member of their family, more of a sister to Li Hin, the little girl. Yet it didn't take very long for my past to return to me in the form of dreams telling me of the future.
I saw men coming down the road, looking grim and moving with purpose. I saw them take Li Hin, taking her away from her parents. Shocked I woke from my vision, knowing that it would happen soon, for in my vision Li Hin wasn't older.
Two days later they came, on the road, the same men I saw in my dream. I begged Jang and Dinye (Li Hin's parents) to hide the girl while I spoke with them. As I stood watching them come closer I perceived who they were. They were slave drivers, people who robbed girls and sold them again, for cruel purpose. I remember everything clearly, the wind that was blowing steadily, ruffling my raven hair around my still form, the way the men glanced at me and how I just waited for them. There were about eight of them and I was alone and unarmed, unwilling to use Firebending to hurry them away. The leader walked in front, addressing me directly.
"Well Well, look what we have here. Some little pretty flower we have here." He sneered, his eyes searching my body and I knew what they were after. Love slaves, I called them. They were a well-known secret to everyone, the lowest in society, marked with brands to show every man that they were women who could be taken for a price. Worried about Li Hin, I didn't dare to shout out.
"What do you want here? We have done no harm." I said to the leader, holding my ground, suddenly aware of my high heritage.
"We need some new flesh in our stable. But we want young ones, they are rarer and purer." He sneered again, and I felt my skin shiver with possibilities at what they could do to Li Hin.
"There are none younger than me here." I answered. But the leader just laughed and looked at me. I knew he was certain there was a child here and he wanted to take her to drive her into slavery.
Yet he was wary about me, I could tell. He seemed to sense somehow that I was a much better fighter than my appearance told, so he didn't tackle me right away. There was a short silence, in which none even dared to breathe, or so it felt. The leader grabbed the hilt of his sword, I think he wanted to intimidate me, seeing as I was unarmed. Immediately the others surrounded me, grinning, itching for a fight. I stood calm, remembering my training with Zuko and my teachers. I didn't make a stance, I just stood, facing the leader.
Yet before they could strike, I heard a scream and loud shouting, terrified voices. Slightly panicking I turned around, seeing Li Hin run towards me, fear written over her small sweet face, trailed with tears. She dodged the men and held onto my robe.
"Please, Mommy says you're going to get hurt!" she said, sobbing. Wrapping an arm around her tiny and shaking shoulders, I set my gaze upon the leader again.
"Leave her in peace. Take me with you, I won't fight you. But leave this place and never return here." I said sternly, but slowly the fear was overcoming me also. Fear for Li Hin mostly, but also for my own safety. And the leader, looking into my eyes, seeing that they are golden, grinned evilly and licked his lips in an extremely obscene manner. I could guess what he wanted to do to me, and strangely I didn't care. As long as Li Hin was safe. I never thought I would risk my neck to safe an Earth Kingdom girl one day, but that was what I felt. All I cared for was her safety.
"Well, I guess, we could get a nice price for you. I know people who would love to have you. All right, deal! You're coming with us and we'll leave the girl alone." He grinned to me, setting his eyes to the curves of my body, which weren't fully developed yet, seeing as I was about twelve at the time, but still visible.
Li Hin's voice drew me out of that gaze again, and I set my eyes to her crying form next to me.
"Were are you going, Kyona?" she asked sniffling.
"I'm going to go away for a while. I can't tell you where, but I promise I will be back one day." I said, kneeling in front of her, straining to keep the tears out of my eyes.
"Can I come too?" she asked and it nearly broke my heart to hear it. On impulse I pulled her close and held her for a few moments.
"No, little one. You must stay here with your Mom and Dad." I whispered in her hair, at the verge of tears myself.
I felt a strong hand grab me and pull me away from Li Hin, who started screaming like one of her arms got pulled off. Dinye ran to her, crying herself and holding the girl, restraining her from running after me as I was pulled away and someone bound my hands with an iron cuff.
The men were shoving me around, smelling my hair, licking over my cheek, but I didn't heed it while they brought me away from Li Hin. All I could think off was that I lied to the poor girl. I wouldn't return. Girls driven into slavery never returned. They withered away in sheds, bound and broken, sometimes insane, or beaten to death by their masters. And such a fate now awaited me, and I had the nerve to tell the girl I would be back one day.
I never saw Li Hin again.
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