Twilight descended and four figures stood watching as several Fire Navy vessels anchored in the icy harbor.

Avatar Aang gained a determined face as he reached up to pet the lemur on his shoulder. "I want to talk to her," he said to no one in particular. Seeing the blank faces of those around him he explained, "The girl, I wish to speak to Kiren Chief Arnook."

Katara looked at her friend incredulously, "Why would you want to do that Aang? She'll only tell you lies."

The young monk shook his head, "You are blinded by your hatred for the Fire Nation Katara. She will not lie to me; Kiren is truly here to help us."

Sokka sighed, scowling at his friend, "And what are you going to do Aang? Let her free and hope she doesn't take us down from the inside? Did you see when the guards took her away? She spat fire, now normally that wouldn't be a cause for concern since the girl's a firebender, but I would swear on my life her fire was blue."

Ignoring the boy's wide eyes Aang turned toward the chief, "Please take me to her."

The chief narrowed his eyes at the group but turned and led them off the wall of the city and down several streets until he reached a fairly large building. "When you enter turn left and descend the stairs, the cell is at the bottom."

The trio entered through the main door and followed the man's instructions. Seeing the cell made the young avatar shiver, it was completely made of ice. Bars reached from floor to ceiling and there was no door. Within the cell Kiren sat in lotus position with her fists touching at her stomach, deep in meditation.

Sokka stepped toward the cell and banged his club against it, "Hey psycho wake up! We have some questions that you'd better answer."

The girl calmly opened her strange eyes and looked straight towards the avatar, "What would you like to know?"

Aang stared curiously at the girl before tilting his head, " You cannot be much older than us where are your parents, why did they allow you to travel this far?"

Smiling at the boy Kiren answered his question, "My father was General Zhan Lee, and he was killed during the siege of Ba Sing Se. I never knew my mother; I was told that she died shortly after my birth. As to my travels, I go wherever my heart leads me."

Glancing around Kiren raised one eyebrow waiting for another question.

"You had mentioned your mixed heritage." Sokka reiterated.

Looking at the boy the firebender waited for him to continue. After a moment she sighed and spoke, "I would think it would be obvious." She turned away from the young warrior and turned her gaze to the young waterbender, Katara. "The dark skin, fluid movements, and infuriating blue eye; I am part Fire Nation and part Water Tribe."

"Infuriating blue eye?" Aang asked.

Looking away from the hard blue gaze Kiren turned to the airbender and smirked. "How would you feel to have two different eyes young avatar? It makes me seem sort of lopsided don't you think?"

Before the boy could comment Katara cut in, "I don't know, the scar does a better job. How was it that you got that? Training accident or did you slip?"

Kiren glared at the girl, "To tell my story is to tell another's, and it is not my story to tell."

"Answer the question," Katara barked. "It does not matter who else's stories you tell, but you had better answer our questions."

"Danger tends to follow whoever angers the powerful. I was just unfortunate enough to have angered Ozai in my youth."

The teens stood there shocked for several moments and it was Sokka who asked, "You know the Fire Lord? Wait no better question, you fought Ozai?"

"It's a yes to both of your questions. Before my travels I lived at the palace with the royal family."

Aang looked at the young warrior intrigued, "If you lived alongside with the royal family, then why was it you fought the Fire Lord?"

Kiren's gaze hardened as the dark memory surfaced, "I suppose you know my close friend Prince Zuko?" Seeing the nods she continued, "We were both punished for our opinions. It is not my place to say, but Zuko's occurrence was different then mine. General Iroh took pity on us." The girl smiled warmly before continuing, "We were young, impulsive, and we wanted to partake in a war meeting. The guards outside the door stopped us but the general allowed us to enter with him."

Her smile dropped once again and she glared hard at the bars of her cell, "Ideas were bounced around, several of them bad ones. Zuko and I were wise enough not to speak unless spoken to, but one idea just left us dumbstruck. One of Ozai's advisors had the plan to distract the enemy with fresh recruits just out of the academy, so that the seasoned warriors would be able to attack from behind."

Ignoring the hard looks and head shakes Kiren closed her eyes, "Zuko, no matter how you know him or how you must think of him is a great man, an honorable man who loves his country. He couldn't stand the thought of these soldiers being purposefully slaughtered to win a battle, so he stood and voiced his opinion."

Sokka looked at her aghast and asked, "Why didn't you object? Were you alright with the idea?"

"Do not judge me water boy. When my prince stood I went to stand next to him, but General Iroh placed his hand on my arm and shook his head. I still remember the fire lord's anger. He informed Zuko that he had disrespected the war room, and the only way to resolve the matter was Agni Kai. My young friend may be a smart man, but he was a fool that day. He looked at the elderly general of whom he had argued against and agreed."

"How was he a fool if he accepted a challenge he fully believed he could win?" Sokka inquired.

Kiren bared her teeth at the boy creating a terrifying visage, "Zuko was a fool because he didn't understand that which his younger sister would have. My prince was not to fight in Agni Kai against the general, but he was to fight his father….the fire lord."

"That makes absolutely no sense," Katara scoffed scornfully.

The firebender sneered at her counterpart equally annoyed by the girl, "Of course you wouldn't girl; you know nothing of our customs. It may have been the old general who Zuko had spoken out against, but it was the fire lord's war room. My friend had disrespected his father and Ozai just wouldn't stand for that."

The young avatar looked at the girl puzzled, "Why are you telling us this Kiren? We asked about your scar not whatever happened to Zuko."

Kiren chuckled darkly, "My tale directly conspires with Zuko's. Among my many flaws I am intensely loyal no matter what you may believe. When the meeting ended I approached the fire lord in his throne room alone, and pleaded with him. I asked him, no I begged him to spare the life of my prince, for I to stand in his place during the Agni Kai, or for him to ignore the indiscretion. If I said that Ozai was angered it would be the understatement of the century. It probably would have been my last mistake." Glancing around she continued, "I shouldn't have spoken against him, or the least I could have done was to ask my siblings to speak to him."

Sokka looked at her strangely, "Why would having your family speak to the fire lord have been any different than you? Wouldn't he have had the same reaction?"

The dark warrior stood and crossed her arms, "Both my sisters and brother are older than I, but it wasn't just age that separates us, they are my half siblings; born of my father's first wife, his noblewoman wife. My heritage has always been a sore point for the fire lord. It was only because of General Iroh that a half breed was allowed to stay in his palace. My eldest sister's full fire nation heritage and position as one of the Yu Yan would have softened Ozai's anger. Within seconds of making my plea he attacked me angered beyond belief. My skills are great, I am spoken of as a prodigy, but I was twelve. What chance did I have against a master firebender more than triple my age?"

Kiren smiled wickedly, "I held out long but I was battered, burned and winded. He burned my face before I was sent to my knees, and he would have killed me, but his fist was stopped, his fire extinguished, and his body thrown back by General Iroh. He stood up and stomped towards his brother like an angered child and demanded to know why he had stopped my punishment. Iroh held his gaze and did not offer an answer."

Sighing, Kiren leaned against the far wall, "Ozai turned to me and announced my banishment before walking once again to his throne and throwing up his flames. Iroh helped me up and escorted me out to my room. I left the country, and I have not returned since. I didn't even witness Zuko's Agni Kai, but I was told it was gruesome."

"So that's why you're helping us then?" Katara accused. "You only want revenge."

"My unfortunate encounter with the Fire Lord had nothing to do with my decision to act." Kiren snarled. "This war has gone on long enough. It is unjust and murderous."

Looking sadly at the teen Aang inquired, "Why did you attack Hahn?"

Kiren appeared puzzled for a moment before she laughed, "Hahn? Is that the boy's name?" Shaking her head Kiren continued, "What was I supposed to do, the warrior charged me I had to stop his attack somehow, and so flipped him. It's not like I injured him in any way; well perhaps his pride."

Sokka snorted looking pleased by the memory of the smug boy being tossed around like a rag doll, "I see no fault in that, the fool deserved it."

Kiren could feel the sun begin to rise and with it a soldier stormed down the stairs, "Avatar come quickly, the siege is starting."

The trio turned to rush up the stairs but were stopped by a voice, "be careful avatar you face many and your forces are few. Zhao is not one to be underestimated and Zuko is on those ships too. You may not be able to trust me completely, but believe me when I say I will die before I see this great city defeated. The Water Tribes must not fall."

And with that the three left the firebender alone in her cell and turned to face an even greater foe.