Anja felt Jaya tense beside her as she shifted from casual Guardian mode into her rigid, glacial Lotus Master mode. She could almost sense the change as Jaya locked herself behind barriers, as if when the Lotus Master entered, emotion and warmth simply evaporated. They stood together before the grand doors of the Beifong estate, Anja rising above her shoulders. Though the two stood shoulder-to-shoulder and mere centimeters apart, they may as well have been in the Poles, the whole world standing between them. Jaya stepped forward and knocked, the jarring sound ringing through the house and echoing in each direction. Footsteps sounded through the door, growing in volume and intensity before the door was wrenched open. Before them stood a tall woman adorned in basil coloured robes decorated with silver metal and hints of juniper. Anja took her in slowly, her graying hair held the ghost of a brown so dark it might be mistaken for black and flecks of iron rimmed her sage irises. Now that she took her in Anja felt an odd and irritating sense of familiarity with Raja and the crooked, teasing scowl that worked into her lips as she spoke.
"So nice of you to join us with your pet. Come, come you're late as it is. Dinner will be any moment." She turned and the dark robes fluttered behind her, making every step seem as if she were floating. Anja scrunched her nose in irritation but followed wordlessly, fighting hard to stop Raja getting to her. The door slammed loudly behind them, blocking the last of the dying rays from the sun.
The three walked through several artificially lit corridors in a strained silence. Jaya remained cold but Raja had an odd aura about her, tinges of dark red and purple decorated its edges in a barely tangible manner. Anja ignored it and kept pace with her, shaking off the feeling. After an eternity they passed through a grand archway into a dining hall. At its center proudly stood a long steel table set for five places, two of which were already occupied. As they entered Toph's eyes shot to Jaya's momentarily before moving to Anja's, giving her a gentle grin and brief sense of encouragement. Moku and Toph sat opposing each other, each with an empty seat beside them. The fifth place was set at the table's head and had clearly been occupied temporarily. Raja returned to her place before Jaya took the one beside Moku, leaving Anja to the seat at Toph's left. She took it uneasily, marginally comforted by the hand that came to squeeze her leg lightly. Raja lifted the spoon from her placemat and twirled it delicately in her fingers, turning her face to Anja.
"So child, you're a United Republic one correct?" Disgust lurked at the back of her eyes.
"Yes Ma'am. Born and raised." Anja worked forcibly to keep her voice light, the woman's grating tone running along her nerves.
"How is the City? I haven't personally been but given that two of my children reside there maybe it's worth the trip." Her tone grew lazy; making it evident she had no true interest in the place.
"The same as any other place in truth. Only difference is it isn't confined to the traditions of any one nation. It's as if those who founded it created new traditions for a new nation. It isn't Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, Northern, or Southern Water Tribe, or even Air Nomad. It is an odd congregation of each that has changed into something else entirely." Anja gazed thoughtfully into the woman's eyes, searching amongst waves of annoyance and abrasion for the source of her familiarity.
"Sounds boring in all honesty. Like just another state with a few migrants tossed in. It isn't so simple to toss away the traditions of the land." She shifted from Anja across to Jaya, who remained still and unresponsive.
"Durjaya Beifong your rudeness is astounding, I raised you to be more respectful than this. How is your sister?" Raja eyed her carefully.
"That is not my name." She stated simply before turning to face her mother, the ice shooting daggers through her eyes. "And Mae is doing well. Happily married with a young son, no thanks to you. You might know that if you bothered."
"It is the name I gave to you and so shall it stay your name where I am concerned. What of the daughter she had? There was one wasn't there? Similar age to this girl you have brought into my city." Raja poked lightly, analyzing each slight move of Jaya's. Anja flinched but watched the exchange just as carefully.
"Dhatri is the child I presume you refer to, she was given refuge with Mae until she turned ten. At that age she chose to become an acolyte and joined the Air Nomads." Jaya held her calm under her mother's gaze with a pained patience. Anja could sense that she was bordering the edge of her rope.
"Odd don't you think Moku, that both Durjaya and Mae come into guardian roles of two girls practically the same age, at practically the same time. Say child, how was it you came into Durjaya's care in the first place." A gleam hinted in her glare and Anja swallowed heavily. Toph and Moku remained as silent as Jaya had earlier, Toph stiffening slightly before moving to interrupt. Anja held back a smirk and nudged her before approaching the question delicately.
"She saved my life, Ma'am. Dhatri and I grew up together as our houses were next to each other. Jaya was a friend of my father and was visiting that night. I had gone to bed just before she left, but then an explosion flared through our house and spread to Dhatri's. The flames tore the house very quickly and Jaya barely had time to save me, my parents both died in that fire." She paused for dramatic effect, wiping a fake tear before continuing in shaky breaths, "Dhatri's parents were just as unlucky. As Jaya got me out her father came out of their house carrying Dhatri. He brought her over to Jaya, asking her to keep her safe before rushing back in for his wife, neither of them made it out. I was about four at the time, Dhatri was closer to three. And, if it pleases you Ma'am, my name is Anja." She lifted a sleeve to her nose gently before setting her hand on the table and looking back to Raja with heavy eyes, she took in a deliberate, deep breath and continued to fabricate her story. "Mae and Jaya gave us refuge. Jaya could only take one so she got me, and asked Mae and her husband to care for Dhatri. I owe her my life." Her hands knotted on the table while annoyance flickered in Raja's features; clearly she was hoping to catch a lie. Her expression shifted slightly before she changed the topic, the same starting gleam hiding in her gaze.
"That is a relief then. I was hoping you hadn't been brainwashed into leaving, it is not a nice feeling to be discarded by your own children. "Anja," She toyed with the two syllables slightly before continuing. "One would assume it's from the more traditional 'Anju' meaning 'living in heart.' It is a tribute to the love a mother has for her child. What was your mother like Anju?" Jaya stood heavily, forcing her chair roughly to the ground. Her eyes pierced Raja's dangerously, a sense of warmth returning to her. Toph dropped her hand quickly to Anja's knee to keep her still.
"It is even less nice to be treated as dolls Anja." She spat roughly before storming from the room, roughly forcing through the servers as they came through with the meal.
"Ignore Durjaya. That one has always been rather difficult. Go on, your mother, tell me about her." The serving team left a little shaken with the silver dish lids and the items that had decorated Jaya's place. Anja puzzled lightly before hardening her gaze, deciding she would not play the woman's game.
"I do not know Ma'am. I was four when she passed, Jaya is the only mother I've known and I thank the spirits for her each day. She gave me a home when no one else would and gave me love when I had no one else who could. Jaya raised me to be kind, respectful and to treat the spirits as I would treat myself. It is because of her I choose the Lotus, they gave me a family." Raja seemed perplexed at her answer, the others remaining silent.
"Yes I was curious of that. You were what, thirteen on arrival? A bit young aren't you?" Anja held her eyes to Raja's, refusing to let her win.
"The Lotus does not discriminate Ma'am, as long as you have guardian consent. I had to nag Jaya for months as it was, she didn't want me to think I had to join the Lotus because of her. I signed up to be a spiritual leader and now I am here, mastering a part of myself I had not known to exist."
"Well isn't that a lovely little adventure then. Tell me child, how familiar are you with the game of chess?" Raja clasped her hands together, resting her elbows on the arms of her seat. Anja raised an eyebrow in a quizzical manner.
"I'm would say limited, I know Pai sho but I haven't heard of chess."
"'Tis a shame then. It is a game of wits and strategy born from war. You play on a board of 64 squares, half black, half plain arranged in checks. There are two players and you both have 16 pieces. Eight pawns for footmen, two rooks for chariots, two knights as cavalry, two bishops and a King and Queen. The game is won by forcing your opponent into 'checkmate', which is a situation when the King has no moves left to escape death.
"It is moderately ironic though I'm afraid. The King is the most useless piece on the board, yet the game is won with his end, and the most powerful piece is his advisor, the Queen. It is an ancient game built on ancient values, but believe me child there is a reason the Queen was the most powerful piece on the board and it is won with the death of the King."
"Forgive me, but I have no clue what you're talking about." Anja shook her head lightly, confusion knitting her brows together.
"Sometimes it isn't the life or the death of a soldier that makes the biggest difference Anju." She stood and stretched slowly, releasing a tired groan as bones popped into place. "It has been a pleasure young one but the day grows old and frankly so does this conversation, I'm afraid I must excuse myself. I trust Moku or Toph will assist you on finding your way home."
Anja waited patiently as the woman left, gliding along the floor with ease and grace. Her robes danced about her form as they disappeared from view and the air in the room lightened drastically. Moku breathed a sigh of relief and his shoulders hunched slightly, Toph took an uneasy drink and relaxed in her seat. A crooked grin worked up Anja's cheeks as she turned to her.
"So next time you say stick in the mud, what you really mean is a steel beam set in a 10ft concrete foundation. Noted." The cup in her hand fell back to the table with a thud that sent juice flying as Toph choked on laughter and lychee juice burned its way through her nose. Her hand came up to cover her mouth as she met Anja's jovial expression.
"Spirits Anja! Next time wait for me to finish please. Snorting lychee juice is not pleasant." Her laughter flowed more freely and broke through the jarring silence that Raja's presence had created.
"No promises here." She grinned easily in return. Toph shook her head, a smile locked on her face.
"What was all the Ma'aming? Ma'am this, ma'am that. I am all ma'amed out!" her laugh continued to filter through.
"My mum raised me to be respectful is all. What was Jaya's deal though? I know they aren't close but she wasn't light on the dramatics." Toph's grin slowed into an awkward light smile and they were left in a small silence again, it was Moku that answered, saying his first words for the night.
"If Jaya hasn't told you then it really isn't our place to discuss. My sisters were well with in reason to make the choice they did." He sighed deeply, looking to his daughter. "Toph it's getting late, please see our guest home safely. Anja I apologise for tonight's events, feel free to join us again and make sure Jaya knows that Beifongs are always welcome here." Moku stood and bowed, not noticing the rigidity that had bloomed in the girl before him as he took his leave.
"Why the stiff posture An?" Toph poked her side gently, aiming for the ribs.
"He knows doesn't he? I thought no one but us did." She turned to her cousin, worry stitched across her features.
"No he doesn't, anything beyond titles would be a guess. He meant Jaya; she's always welcome, she hasn't returned since she left twenty years ago with Mae before she came with you. Neither of them have." She paused momentarily, her eyebrows furrowed in indecision. "Look, Father's right it isn't my place but someone should tell you, and in theory this cheats a little. After I leave tonight, wait a while before meeting me at Raava's plain." She stood slowly, pulling Anja up with her.
"Raava's plain? Why there?" Anja stretched her legs slowly before turning back to her cousin.
"You'll see. It's late and a fast trip is a good one." Toph pulled her back through the many halls and out into the night, along the winding streets lit under lamps that sent beams rocketing off the silver domes. It was a quick trip compared to usual and before she knew it, the door to one of the few places that felt like home stood tall and proud before her. "Take it easy on her An, just tell her you're going to bed."
"Will do Sifu." Toph laughed lightly at the rhyme and left Anja as she entered her home. Jaya laid waiting sprawled across the couch, glancing up slightly at her arrival. The room was bitter and stale with the smoke of a dying fire.
"Did I miss anything important?" She stated simply, moving back to the paper in her lap.
"Not overly," Anja shrugged her grey coat off, leaving it on a hook by the door. "Just a description of my mother that grated on Raja's patience, a long and boring lecture on chess and your darling mother telling me how boring I am." She sat in the chair opposite the couch where Jaya sat.
"Your mother?" She asked lightly, waiting for Anja's answer.
"Yeah, she didn't appreciate it to say the least." Anja shifted uneasily, eyeing the paper in Jaya's hands.
"Fair enough then. How did the chess talk go?" Jaya kept her eyes on the paper, too much to Anja's annoyance.
"No clue, but she made a point of saying how the Queen is the most important piece, even with the King being the Game Maker. Then she pointed out how its not always the life and death of the soldiers that makes the difference." Jaya laughed emptily, folding the paper and returning to her pocket.
"Time doesn't change much of anything then. She was testing your aptitude. Chess is a game of constant strategy and is fought like a war. You must constantly assess your opponent and adapt your strategy accordingly. Sometimes its like she lives her life like its a chess match." Jaya stood shakily, unsteady on her feet. "Don't trust her, she's like a two headed rat viper. While you focus on one head, the other is already slowly poisoning you. Goodnight Ko... Anja, goodnight Anja." She stumbled on Anja's name and exited the room, staggering on every other step, leaving the girl only more curious for what the night's trip held for her.