A: N: Again, I don't own the stories. Rights go the creators. The only thing I do own are the characters I created, Hakori, Callie and Noel. Armina and Lana are a friend's creations that are part of the family. Again this chapter is M rated for possible violence.

Hakori's POV:

155 AG

I could see my mother moving quickly around the house, packing a large bag with things for all of us. Mom would take four kids out of the Northern Water Tribe with an unknown destination. I didn't know where we would be going. I watched over my sisters while my mother frantically packed. I watched the night turn into day, forcing myself to stay awake. I would probably be needed to carry something or one of my sisters when the time came. Taking occasional deep breaths, I tried to murmur and reassure them in their sleep that it would all be all right.

As morning finally rose, I watched my mother carry the large bag towards the door of the house, carrying the twins on her arms as well. I carried my half sister, Zaerya, to where my mother was leading me, to a large boat where she hoped we'd go by unnoticed among so many people in one boat. We quickly hid inside a small cabin that had been given to us. It had four beds, and in all honesty, we wouldn't need more. The twins could sleep with my mother and I could hold Zaerya while asleep.

It seemed to be hard, though, making a trip with four kids and I felt bad for my mother, especially since she was the one the one who was travelling on her own with four kids. I could only imagine how hard it was for her, since there was no guarantee that we would make it to the destination. Maybe my father found us.

Some hours passed with us staying inside. I waited anxiously for the ship to depart half asleep on the bed my mother had placed me and Zaerya in. I had stayed up the whole night and I was exhausted now, and just wanted to sleep. I kept her close to me; as if afraid someone would take her and my family from me. I couldn't let that happen, no matter what. I finally fell asleep, lulled by the soft movements of the boat we were in.

Hours later

"Stop this ship!"

I woke up to a harsh, demanding voice telling for the ship to be stopped. It seemed familiar, but I couldn't place it among the sleepiness I felt. I had only been asleep for a few hours and suddenly I found myself waking up by this voice. I checked on Zaerya and the twins, seeing they were asleep, and my mother was too. Ignoring the voice, I went to the door, making sure it was locked in hopes that no one would get in. That voice made me shiver and gave me a very bad feeling. I went back to the bed and held Zaerya close once more, closing my eyes and pretending I was asleep.

Not even five minutes had passed when I heard the door being knocked down and heard Zaerya and the twins cry at the noise that had been just made. Sighing quietly, I didn't move and held her close, looking up at whom had walked in: my father. He seemed furious and didn't address any of the four kids, instead, he turned to my mother and said a simple sentence: Noel, let's go home, now.

I felt the boat changed directions. Of course, we would still take a few hours to get home as we were hours away from it, but soon enough we would be back with my father at the house. Our attempt of escaping my father had been futile and I was sure that we wouldn't get a second chance. My mother would most likely be under watch. Taking a deep breath, I just waited for us to get home, staying up until then.

It didn't take as long as I expected to get home, and as soon as we did, the four of us were sent to our room. I muttered something under my breath, placing Zaerya, Armina and Lana in their cribs before closing the door as my father crossed through to make sure we were all inside. My three sisters were all asleep, thankfully, for I was sure that they wouldn't be ready to hear anything that would come next, much like I wasn't.

I opened the door a little bit, quietly, as soon as my dad left so I could see what was going on, and hear it better too.

"What did you think you were doing? Did you really think you could escape from me and take the kids?!"

"N-No, I…."

"Don't lie to me! You wanted to run away with them did you not?"

"Y-Yes…." I heard my mother say, and what I heard and saw next made me flinch. With one flick of his hand, I heard him slap my mother and heard her fall on the floor. Neither of them said anything else but I saw him hitting her and closed my eyes, gasping once at the violence being used. I forgot that I wasn't meant to be watching, and my father jerked his head upstairs for my face.

"Hakori! I told you to get the door closed. I will deal with you in the morning."

Scared, I closed the door again, and heard my father come upstairs to lock it. I curled up in my bed, afraid for the first time in my life. He had scared me before but not like this.

The next things I heard were my mother's screams and the sound of my father hurting her. I didn't even want to imagine what he was doing right now to her as I lay there. I knew I shouldn't, but I forced the door open, as quietly as possible. During the noise in the house, it wasn't luckily heard. I could see my father kicking my mother and her defending herself as she could, curled up on the floor and bleeding from places. I felt a shiver run down my spine and wanted to do something to help but was afraid of what my father would do to me if I dared to go downstairs. I was already to be dealt with in the morning. I curled up in my bed after silently closing the door, whimpering softly and hoping I wouldn't be heard, but should be okay as the loud noises continued, so loud that I wondered how my sisters remained asleep so peacefully. But soon I too fell asleep, succumbing to sleep and exhaustion, snuggled up under the covers into a deep sleep, although having nightmares through the whole night.

When I woke up on the next morning, I yawned and stretched, noticing that it was late into it, despite it being winter and cold, it was still late morning. My sisters were awake in their cribs now, seemed fed and cleaned and like nothing had happened. I was the only one old enough to move on my own, well without hesitation. Zaerya was just now taking her first attempts at walking. I walked downstairs hoping to find my mother, but she was nowhere to be seen and her things weren't in the house.

"Mom?" I called for her, only to hear no reply. The soft presence she had in the house had disappeared, taking with my childhood's innocence. Instead, it was my father who I have heard.

"Hakori. Come here."

As I didn't move right away, he slammed his fist on the table. "Hakori!"

I rushed to his side then, after jumping when he slammed his hand on the table. I wasn't used to violence coming from him. This wasn't the same father I have met. Although he had always been distant, I wasn't used to having such violence come here. "Yes father?"

"Your mother is not coming back. "

"What do you mean; my mother is not coming back? What did you d-" My words were cut off by a slap on my face. Like my mother, I had fallen on the floor, but stood up right away. I could sense my father did not stand for weakness seen in front of him.

"Don't interrupt me when I'm talking son. Ever. Now, as I was saying, your mother is not coming back. I sent her away and she is not coming back. And things are going to change around here. I will train you in every skill there is to know about Waterbending, and your sisters too when they are able to stand on their feet. Now disappear of my presence and may I not see you until you've developed some strength."

I didn't wait to be told a second time and disappeared until my father called me hours later for a late night training session. I didn't think twice in going, although I'd much rather prefer to stay with my sisters, I didn't dare to disobey to my father. If interrupting him was what it was, I could only imagine what would happen if I didn't appear.

The training session on Waterbending were advanced techniques that I had barely attempted on trying, but my father made me practice until there was at least some progress in those techniques. By the time he was satisfied, it was already late morning again, and I was exhausted like I have never felt before. I took a bath, and went straight to bed in my sleeping clothes, wishing this was all a dream and that things didn't change this much, or wouldn't change this much so I could tell for sure my mother was still here and we were all safe. I hoped he wouldn't hurt my sisters or me in the future and that he wouldn't force them to learn what I was forced to learn and train them in this. It was brutal and exhausting and it wasn't anything I wished for them. I hated the training I was being given, especially since he seemed to prefer me for the job. I didn't understand why he needed to train me when he was such a great bender himself, probably better than what I would ever be. I was just a child and hated this with every core of my being. Before, I had loved it, but now, I hated it. Sighing, I remained awake for a long while watching my sisters in their cribs, going over when they cried and rocking them to calm them down, whispering my mother's song to them. If it was the only thing left we had from them, then I would make sure they remembered it by singing it to them every single time they cried. Exhausted, I fell asleep after a few hours.