Hey everyone! Sorry for the long delay in chapter updates. Life and all that. Exciting to get a new chapter right? Just don't get too excited. As my German teacher always says to me: Entspann Dich! Anyway, without further adieu, I give you my latest installment.

Necessity dictates that I don't sleep long. At five in the morning, as always, the alert sounds on the intercoms of the ship; signaling for all hands to make ready for the morning parade that would be conducted at 5:25 as always. I yawn feverishly, my entire body shaking. I regret not paying attention and going to sleep earlier. I slump my head down and close my eyes, trying desperately to draw enough energy to make myself get up and get dressed. I breathe several hard breaths, fighting the drowsiness, but finally pull myself off my knees and slowly walk over to where I had hung my dress.

I felt its exquisite silk rub on my palms. Only the finest for Father, after all. I slip it on, making sure not to crease its delicate fibers. When all the straps have been procured, I look at myself in the mirror. I look like a hybrid between a soldier and a flower, or at least, that's the best simile I could think of for it. The dress has all the bearing of what a military man (or woman) would wear, yet, it possessed about it a regal grandeur. I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. Its flowing garments seemed tacky, and the corset seemed restricting. Yet, if it was what was "in", I guess why not? That's another thing I hate about myself. Even though I am independent, I am still a slave to fashion; even if I have a hard time admitting it to myself.

Though, when I attended the academy I always tried to show I was above that sort of petty trifle, but it still loomed over me everywhere I went.

There's a knock on my door. "May I come?" I hear a familiar voice say.

"Yes..." I say grudgingly, "Please!"

My elderly uncle steps through the bulkhead. "We'll be pulling into port soon."

"I know, Uncle. How could I forget?"

"I just hope you're ready to confront your father."

Not wishing to sound offensive or ungrateful I think of a obtuse answer, "I'll try my best, Uncle."

"If you say so." He bows and starts to leave.

"Wait, is the Avatar awake?"

"I have not checked his cell this morning."

"No use looking there, he's next door." My Uncle looks at me with a perplexed look. I suddenly realize the implications in what I just said. "Oh, don't give me that look, Uncle! I'm a little more responsible than that!"

"That's not what I was thinking. How do you know he hasn't made good an escape?"

"I believe our talk has convinced him beyond a reasonable doubt to the worthiness of our cause."

"Let's hope you're right. If the Avatar suspects anything, he'll try to flee."

"I'm well aware. That's why I'm trying to 'bond' to him. If he trusts me, he will be less apt to flee at the first sign of trouble."

"Just don't get your priorities out of order, my young niece. You are still a princess."

I pause a moment, then finish. "Thank you, Uncle, for the advice."

He withdraws from the room, shutting the door behind him. I let myself breathe as the comb's teeth slide through my hair. They violently pull the knots from my hair. Take no prisoners; that's my motto. If those little annoyances think they can hinder me, they've got another thing coming. I comb until I feel satisfied with the smoothness. I then add the perfume, a noxious mixture of fruit and death. It's almost unbearable, but as it was the only substance easily procured, it will have to do. I cough a few times as the heavy scent of false lilacs fills the air. I look in the mirror and do the finishing touches on my makeup. I stare at my self in the mirror. You look good enough. Not terribly pretty, but acceptable.

I hear another voice at the door. It is young and nasally. "Permission..." he paused to yawn "...to enter?"

"Permission granted." I answer back with a smile.
In enters the Avatar, wearing the clothes set for him yesterday. He is groggy and tired, with a look of 'Why I am awake?' on his face. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes, I did. Just wanted to make sure you were dressed properly. Would hate for you to make a bad first impression on Father."

"If you say so..."

I examine him over, looking for flaws. I spot one right off the bat. "Your collar is..."

"What?"

"Oh, just let me fix it." I go straight to the task at hand. I feel my perfectionist ego being satisfied with each pull and correction of his clothing. When I am satisfied, I move on until he looks spic and span. "There, now you look like a well dressed peasant."

"Gee, thanks. I feel so honored."

"You should. Otherwise you would just be a poorly dressed peasant."He looks at me with a face filled with apparent bitterness. "Oh lighten up, will you. I'm only kidding."

"Its not that, its just your insults are...biting."

I tried to change to the subject. "Don't try to be a hero with my father. He doesn't appreciate spontaneity. And you bow first."

He shrugs, "Okay."

I badger him on manners the entire time until the call to assembly sounds. The marines and crew gather on the main deck where we stand in formation, me facing the front. Our ship was passing the coastline of the Fire Nation, heading east towards the capital. Towards home. It was not long, though, until we spotted the craggy cliff that we knew marked the entrance into the harbor. I nudged Aang who stood beside me, "There it is. The entrance."

"That's...nice." he says, trying to give a compliment with his trademark grin. I know what he really meant was "Yeah? So?" But could I blame him? He'd never seen this new capital. It was only 75 years old.

Finally, like a jewel rising from the ocean, the capital hoves into view. Its buildings and towers look magnificent in the early sun. I keep staring out at my three-years ambition. I am afraid to move my head at all, for the fact that I don't want to let anyone see the tears in my eyes. As we revel in a sight many of the crew, as well as myself, have dreamed about for years, there comes a sudden explosion which makes us leap to the deck of the ship. I look up, half expecting to see that the ship's boiler has been blown away, but that was not so. I stare around, trying to figure out what had just happened. I get to my feet and wipe myself off. I go over to the communication pipe at the far end of the ship and yell into it. "Captain!"

"Yes! My Liege!" I hear his voice echo through the pipe.

"Check the engine room! I want to see if we've taken any damage!"

"At once!"

I hang the pipe's receiver on the end. A few moments pass in hushed anticipation as the bewildered crew resume their formation on the deck. Suddenly, a boy of about 8 races down from the stairs leading to the poop and stops in front of me. He is one of the many children apprenticed aboard the Fire-Nation navy, usually given odd jobs on a ship while learning the art of seamanship and navigating. He salutes as smartly as he can. "Sir, the captain would like to report that there is no damage!"

I sigh. "Very well, dismissed." He the runs aft to the forecastle and ascends the stairs to the quarter deck.

"What was that?" I ask myself.

"I have no idea" Aang chimes in.

"Strange occurrences..." Before I have time to finish my sentence, another ear-deafening bang rolls through the air. This time, though, I don't fall to the ground. I wait patiently as everyone recovers, yet again, from their shock.

"Aang. Go and get me the telescope from my room."

"Right away." said he.

He then twists the air in his palms into a ball and rides it up the ninety-degree face of the ship to the top where my quarters are. As he does, I look out into the harbor again, biting my lips. "I hope this isn't my reward for finding the Avatar..."