*I do NOT own anything associated with Avatar: The Last Airbender. However, I do own my character Kaida.

Kaida, being of both fire and water. did not sense the danger that was approaching. "Zuko." She whispered and her grin widened.

She lived a sheltered life, which were the wishes of Arnook. He didn't want her to know the brutality of the nation which she was rescued from. Arnook watched how she had grown as a waterbender. She was the only allowed to waterbend and heal. All other women were only permitted to use their healing powers. Kaida had also learned how to bloodbend, under the wishes of the sacred moon spirit. Kaida was one of the most powerful waterbenders alive.

The ship was extremely far from the shore, which meant that it would be at least another day before anyone would notice the approaching ship. "Possibly they will take me home." Kaida said, gaining her old spirit back with each passing moment.

She turned and began her journey back. About midway through she was stopped by Sokka. She curtsied to the man of the southern water tribe and smiled at him. "Princess Kaida, have you seen Yue?" He asked, looking at her with loving eyes.

She put a hand on his shoulder and beckoned him to follow her. "Wait, where are we going?" He asked her.

Kaida turned and put a gloved finger to her lip, telling him to be quiet.

The two stopped at a wide river. "This isn't even anywhere near where I though Yue's room would be." He whispered.

Kaida laughed and turned to him. "She will meet you there." Then she whistled, it was a high whistle, and a rumble in a nearby brush revealed her pet polar leopard.

Then she dipped her hand into the water and it froze into an ice tablet. With a shard of ice, Kaida carved in a message and slipped it into a pouch around the leopard's neck. "Take this to Yue." She said, and the leopard disappeared.

"Do you really think that beast will get to a princess as beautiful as her?" He laughed. Kaida glared at him and turned away. Kaida reached into her robe and pulled out a necklace. Sokka stared at it from behind her; the strap was red silk with an orange fire nation symbol on it made from some sort of shiny gem. His eyes widened and he snatched it away from her.

"Sokka! Don't!" Kaida said, and immedieately water took the necklace away. It landed gently back into Kaida's hands and tears of water rolled off the pendant.

"Why do you have that? Are you a spy sent to kill Yue? Where are you taking me?" He interrogated, his anger increasing.

Kaida closed her eyes and slid it back into the robe. "It does not matter why I have it. No, my uncle is Chief Arnook and Yue is my cousin. I'm taking you to a spring where you can meet with Yue in secret." She replied calmly, she could feel the anger on her fingertips, risking to reveal her fiery secret.

She touched the water and a small path across appeared made of ice. Kaida glided across it gently, guiding Sokka with a helping hand. Once they had crossed, Kaida took off her glove and covered her hand. She targeted heat into her palm, which quickly melted the ice bridge.

"Wow, I've never seen Katara do that before. You'll have to teach her." Sokka began.

"I, ah, I am not permitted to teach anyone but Aang how to waterbend. And that is a trait you must be born with, which Aang is not able to posess yet in his early state." She said simply as she pushed away a branch, revealing a pond and the stars shining down on it brilliantly.

Sitting with her feet in the water was Yue. Sokka ran to her, Kaida took this as her opportunity to leave.

...Meanwhile...

Zuko paced the floor of the boat. Iroh watched him, sipping on his tea. "You must calm down Zuko. We cannot be so impatient." He said between sips.

"But Uncle, Kai- I mean Aang is somewhere near here." He said, immedieately biting his tongue.

Iroh leaned back and smiled. "Kaida is still on your mind I see." He said.

Zuko shook his head violently. "Rarely Uncle, and by now she probably has one of those stupid Water Tribe betrothal necklaces. I am here for the Avatar and he only. Kaida means nothing to me, not now at least." He said and stared at his reflection.

She would be terrified of me. She would think I was a monster. Zuko looked away from the mirror. She probably wouldn't even recognize me. He thought as the opportunity arose for him to take a smaller ship to investigate the island.

"Uncle, prepare one of the ships. You and I are going to the capital early." He said and his uncle merely nodded, telling one of the guards what to do.

Within minutes the two were fiercly paddling their way to a secret spot to keep their boat. From here Zuko could tell the rest where to hide their ships.

"Look, you have made my tea cold." Iroh said and poured the tea into the ocean.

Zuko rolled his eyes and started his hunt for the Avatar.

~~~...~~~...~~~

"Ugh, it's just too hard!" Aang complained, trying to imitate what Kaida was trying to teach him.

"You can do it Aang, just concentrate!" Katara cheered.

Kaida smiled and asked if Katara wished to join. She nodded and the two began to bend the water.

"Wow, it looks so pretty here!" Katara said as she looked at her surroundings while bending.

"Shh, it is best to remain silent when bending a silent element. It will boost your strength." Kaida said as she raised her arms high into the air. The water spun around her head and around her body, tracing every curve and simply rolling off her clothing.

Something hit the ground with a tink. Aang looked down, and with a sweep of air it was resting in his hand.

Kaida slipped the water back into the pond and advanced toward Aang. "Kaida, what is this?" He asked, holding up the fire necklace.

Kaida snatched it away and hid it within her robe. "Nothing Aang, now keep practicing."

Zuko heard voices, he hid in the brush and observed. It was Katara with Aang. At first, Zuko planned to attack then, but he saw another with them. Her hair was long and in an intricate style, the robes were different from the ones he saw at other tribes. She must have been Yue. He didn't want to risk attacking, for it was three benders against one, and the moon was out which meant their bending would be stronger than his.

"Can I see it?" Katara asked, peering over Kaida's shoulder.

"Was that a fire symbol on it?" Aang asked, standing and crossing to her.

"Both of you stop talking! Aang, if you wish to learn waterbending, you must listen to your teachers! Katara, you cannot ask something which does not wish to be asked." Kaida replied, speaking with a formal and princess-like tone.

Zuko's eyes widened. It had to be his beloved childhood love Kaida.