Everything was warm around Thyra as she shifted on the animal furs. Normally she would be shocked at being so close to dead animals but they were so warm that she couldn't help but snuggle closer, and Katara had kindly given her a warm coat to wear outside to guard her against the cold.
Thyra washed her face, the pale skin now clean from snow and ice. Her dark mahogany hair was tied back into a simple plait that fell to the small of her back, several small locks escaping at the front of her face, framing her angled cheeks.
Aang was outside showing off to the villagers, flying through the air and air bending to his heart's content. Thyra was of less interest to the small village since she could not bend the air like her brother. The monks had waited patiently for her to grow, expecting her to be a powerful bender as the prophecies proclaimed. However it was not her they needed. It was Aang.
Her gifts had never come. She was just an ordinary girl. Thyra had come to the monastery with Monk Gyatso, who had caught Thyra trying to pick his pocket and taken pity on them. Thyra had been four and Aang just a baby, living in the care of a group of pickpockets and thieves where she fought hard to help Aang survive after their mother died.
Thyra pulled her coat closer around her, staring into the flickering candle before her. Its tiny flame hardly made a difference to the cold but that did not matter to her, she could focus on that one tiny flame and imagine the warm sun on her cheeks, the fresh breeze through her hair as she worked through her chores.
After a few minutes of meditation Thyra got up and left the small tent to go outside. She looked around slowly, observing the small village before walking towards Appa. She reached his side and placed a hand into his fur. "Appa, we should find Aang and go soon." Thyra whispered to him softly. Appa turned his noble head around to face her. "I don't know what it is but something tells me that we need to keep moving. That something bad is coming."
Thyra buried her face into Appa's warm fur and sighed. "I wish I had never agreed to let Aang go. I should have made him stay and do his duty." Thyra leaned against Appa, listening to his slow and steady breaths. He growled softly at her, nudging Thyra gently, making her chuckle. "I know boy."
Turning away Thyra began to search for her brother. She went over to Sokka who was busy trying to rebuild the snow watchtower Aang had probably destroyed. She stood silently behind him, waiting for him to notice her. "What do you want?" He asked after a few minutes of silence. "Your brother went chasing after a penguin if that's who you're after." Thyra stood still for a moment before moving away. "Strange girl." Sokka muttered under his breath.
Thyra ignored his comment and began to climb the small rise of snow, hoping to see Aang pointlessly trying to catch a penguin. He was nowhere in sight. Knowing that he would come back after sledging with the penguins Thyra decided that it was time to eat as her stomach was rumbling noisily for food.
Silently she crunched her way through the deep snow until she was back in Katara's tent where she sat down and took up some of the food she had left out for her. Thyra took one bite of the seaweed and shuddered, disgusted by the taste. Nether the less she ate what she could before crossing her legs again, adopting a peaceful pose as she began her wait.
Thyra sat perfectly still until she heard something disturb the villagers outside, causing them to cry out or gasp in surprise or horror. Stepping out of the tent Thyra looked up at the sky, seeing the strange light soar across the sky. "It's the fire nation, they're coming!" An old woman whispered fearfully. Thyra frowned in slight confusion, why were these villagers so afraid of the fire nation?
Soon enough Aang and Katara could be seen walking back over the horizon side by side. Thyra felt the hot glares of the villagers melt the ice and burn her back as she made her way to her brother. "Please don't be mad, we were only looking." Aang instantly looked up innocently at Thyra who said nothing, merely glared at him before turning to face the villagers.
The children all cheered happily and rushed towards Aang, grinning with their sweet little faces until their cheeks ached. "Aang's back!"
"Hey guys." He greeted them happily, placing his arms around those closest to him.
"I knew it! You signalled the fire nation with that flare!" Sokka accused harshly, thrusting his finger at Aang. "You're leading them straight to us, aren't you?" Before Thyra could speak up Katara rose to Aang's defence.
"Aang didn't do anything, it was an accident!"
"Yeah, we were on the ship and there was a booby trap and…well, we boobied right into it." Aang rubbed the back of his head as he tried to puzzle it all over. Gran-Gran shook her head, her eyes full of disappointment as she looked at Katara.
"Katara, you shouldn't have gone on that ship. Now we could all be in danger!"
"Don't blame Katara, I brought her there." Aang instantly objected as he hung his head. "It's my fault."
"Aha! The traitor confesses." Sokka growled, his eyes burning with hate. "Warriors, away from the enemy." Thyra objected to Sokka calling the children warriors but they did as they were told, sullenly moving away from Aang. "The foreigners are banished from our village!" Now Katara was angry as she argued with her brother.
"Sokka, you're making a mistake!"
"No, I'm keeping my promise to dad! I'm keeping you safe from threats like him." Sokka glared pointedly at Aang who shied away slightly.
"Aang is not our enemy!" Katara gestured at Thyra's little brother impatiently. "Don't you see? Aang's brought us something we haven't had in a long time. Fun."
"Fun?" Sokka scoffed. "We can't fight firebenders with fun."
Smiling earnestly Aang replied. "You should try it sometime."
"Get out of our village!" Desperately Katara turned to her grandmother. Thyra was fast becoming impatient. She wanted to leave and go home right now.
"Grandmother, please don't let Sokka do this." Her eyes were glassy with pleading but the stern stare in the older woman's eyes allowed no sway to her granddaughter's wishes.
"Katara, you knew that ship was forbidden, perhaps it is best if the airbender leaves." Anger rose up inside Katara as she grabbed Aang's hand.
"Fine! Then I'm banished too!" She began to stride towards Appa, dragging Aang with her. "Come on Aang, let's go."
"Katara! Where do you think you're going?"
"To find a waterbender. Aang is taking me to the north pole!" Thyra clenched her fists slightly, not liking this new distraction. Aang needed to learn waterbending but they first needed to go home, to find what was going on. Katara would just slow down the pace for Aang.
"I am? Great!" Aang's confusion was quickly replaced with his usual bright and cheerful tone.
"Katara! Would you really choose him over your tribe? Over your family?" Sokka scowled at his sister, who stopped walking, torn. Thyra looked to Aang and gave the tiniest nod when his eyes slid over to her. Turning away she climbed up onto Appa's back and settled herself down on his back, waiting for Aang.
Her brother gently said goodbye to Katara after insisting she should stay with her family before he climbed up too.
"Let's see your bison fly now, air boy." Sokka shouted up to them.
"Come on Appa, yip yip." Still weary from the horrendous travelling he had endured before Appa turned and began to walk away.
"Yeah I didn't think so." Sokka grinned smugly. In answer Appa slapped his tail onto the ground, causing a tremor and a thick pile of snow to slide down upon Sokka, covering him in a thick mound. A small smirk played on Thyra's mouth as she watched him struggle free.
Appa swam to a distant ice cap, the ice shaped like a wave that had been frozen mid-motion. He settled down in the nape, snuggling down before falling asleep, rumbling happily. "Yeah, I liked her too."
"Aang, we need to go back." Thyra told him softly, touching his shoulder to turn him around. "You have to face your responsibilities."
"I never wanted this, Thyra, why was I chosen?" Thyra thought for a moment before sighing.
"Aang, come here." She sat down and opened her arms. Aang sat beside her and rested his head against her shoulder, smiling as she put her arms around him gently. "The world is like this ocean. Sometimes it is calm and peaceful and other times it is full of storm and danger. Not even the greatest water bender could ever dream of conquering the waves forever. They can only guide its path and calm its temper. The Avatar has a unique ability to bend all four elements, which means that you have a power above any other bender."
"So what does that mean?" Thyra smiled and pointed towards the horizon.
"It means that you are the only one who can change the patterns of the storm, the only one who could bring life from the destruction of fire or fix the wounds of the earth. You could do it in the blink of an eye without a second thought. This is what you are meant for. To lead the nations towards the horizon."
"But I can't lead nations, they all look up to me but I'm just a kid, how am I supposed to know what to do? How will I find the answers?" Thyra smiled even more as she turned her head to look into his wide, innocent eyes.
"Three places. Here." She touched his head. "Here." Then she gently touched his chest where his heart beat confidently. "And finally, here." She tapped her own head. "And together we will always find the right answers." Aang looked away thoughtfully, seeming to relax a little more. After a while he jumped up, looking out to the water.
"The village!" Thyra leaped to her feet to look over her brother's head towards the massive iron ship that was heading towards the village. "Stay here Appa!"
"Aang wait!" Thyra tried to catch his arm but she missed as he shot up into the air, opening his glider to soar up into the skies.
"Impulsive child." Thyra groaned before turning to Appa. "Come on buddy, let's go." She climbed up and called for him to go, directing him towards the village after her brother. Thyra began running the moment her feet touched the snow, worrying about Aang and what he might be up to. He was known to be reckless and carefree, but that could someday be his downfall.
She flew over the rise of snow, looking over her brother as he faced a fire nation boy. He was tall and pale skinned, with jet black hair and a scar that covered the left side of his face over his eye, distorting the features. "Thyra!" Aang called out. "Get back." A jet of flames shot towards him and he cried out, spinning his glider around to redirect the wind.
Fear struck Thyra as she continued to rush forwards. Once she got close a hand tried to grab her arm but she turned, tearing herself free to throw the soldier over her head, burying him into the snow. Thyra slammed into Aang, knocking him out the way of another stream of fire that was shooting towards his back however the spray nearly caught the villagers who cried out in alarm, making both Thyra and Aang freeze fearfully before Aang leaped back to his feet.
"Stop!" Aang cried out loudly, slamming is staff into the ground. "If I go with you, will you promise to leave these people alone?" The fire nation boy stiffened, pausing in his fire bending stance before straightening up and nodding.
Thyra instantly pulled Aang behind her, narrowing her eyes at the stranger. She shook her head once, sliding one foot back in preparation to fight. "Thyra, it's okay. It's what I'm meant for. Remember you said? I redirect the path of the storm." Aang told her gently as he was pulled away from her.
"Take her too, she's an air bender." The stranger pointed to Thyra and instantly two strong hands grabbed her arms in an iron grip.
"No! My sister can't air bend, she's just a normal person." Aang tried to explain but he was brutally pushed forwards and ignored. Thyra did not mind being taken, so long as she was near Aang she was happy. Her heart hammered nervously in her chest but she kept a straight face, striding after her brother in a pace which meant her guard had to jog to keep up.
Her eyes flickered to her right and they locked instantly with the strange boy's. He was handsome, even with the scar. In fact it made him seem stronger, as if the mark proved that he was a warrior.
"No Aang! Don't do this!" Katara yelled after them and she began to run forwards.
"Don't worry Katara. It'll be okay." He promised softly, smiling dreamily back at her before turning and going into the ship. They were taken to the foredeck where they faced the fire nation men. The boy stood in front of an old man, who was wise looking and had a kind twinkle in his eyes. He gave Thyra a small grin and a wink before resuming his silent demur.
Zuko grabbed the staff from the soldier who presented it to him, examining it carefully. "This staff will make an excellent gift for my father. I suppose you wouldn't know about fathers, being raised by monks." He said pointedly to the air benders. His snide comment procured a response from the girl, making her narrow her bright eyes even further, darkening her expression.
"Take the Avatar to the prison hold. Take this to my quarters." He smirked slightly at her. "I have a few questions that need answering. She can stay here for a moment." Iroh took the staff thrust at him then waited until his nephew was gone before handing it to a guard.
"Hey you, mind taking this to his quarters for me?" He didn't wait for a reply before following his nephew. Thyra was now alarmed as she was torn from Aang's side and pulled in the opposite direction from him.
"Hey!" Aang called out but he was soon dragged around the corner. Thyra turned on the boy, beginning to panic.
"Tell me your name." Thyra did not answer. Zuko clenched a fist, fire forming around his tightened fingers as his anger began to boil. "I will not ask again, girl, tell me your name." Thyra rolled her eyes then turned away, walking to the edge of the ship to look out upon the water. "Do not turn your back to me! I am Prince Zuko of the fire nation, son of Ozai and future Fire Lord! There will be consequences to your actions if you show such disrespect!" Thyra ignored him for he was acting like a spoiled child, one who wanted sweets but his mother had said no. Thyra could feel the heat radiate from his skin until his uncle's soft voice calmed him down.
"Relax Zuko. Allow me to speak with her." Thyra sensed the older man coming to her side, his hands folded in the sleeves of his robes. "Ah." He sighed softly, looking out to the horizon also. "A beautiful place. However it is rather cold, wouldn't you agree?" Thyra did not answer him save for a small nod of her head. "Shall I ask for a robe to be brought to you? We wouldn't want you to catch a chill now, would we?" She shook her head once. "Very well. My nephew Zuko is impatient. Although he means well he sometimes forgets his manners." Iroh gave his nephew a pointed glare before turning back around. "Do you have a name, child?" Thyra continued to remain silent, mainly because she was too afraid to speak, she feared her voice would tremble and she did not wish to appear weak before these people.
"There is more than one way to make a girl speak, sir." A different voice growled. "I'll make her squeal." Someone lit their hands with fire and shot a ball towards Thyra. She stayed perfectly still for as long as she dared, watching out of the corner of her eye as the bright golden fire shot towards her.
"No!" Iroh caught the ball in the palms of his hands, wrapping this fingers around the flames before crushing them out.
"No one harms her, not unless I say so." Zuko growled angrily as he grabbed Thyra's upper arm and yanked her back from the side. "Take her down below, she can starve for a few days. See if she'll talk for food." Iroh shook his head sadly before looking up.
Thyra caught his eyes and in them she saw many things. Grief, sadness, hope, laughter and a lifetime of hardships. With a small smile she turned and allowed herself to be forced down below. Thyra walked obediently along before finally acting.
She slammed her shoulder into one of her guards, crushing him into the wall. She ducked under the other's fisted swing, kicking out his knee before he had the chance to start fire bending. "Hey sis!" Aang suddenly appeared, parting through the guards and stopping, the force of his air bending slamming them again into the walls, knocking them out cold.
"About time little brother." Thyra smiled, turning her back to him so that he could untie the ropes around her wrists.
"I got a little distracted. Come on, let's go find my staff!" He grinned before bounding ahead. Thyra raced to catch up, Aang opened several doors before running past an open one. He skidded to a halt before going back and looking inside. "My staff!" Before Thyra could stop him he had rushed in to grab it so she quickly followed. The door slammed shut behind them.
"Looks like I underestimated you." Thyra's chest tightened as she heard Zuko's voice from behind, his hand placed firmly on the door. He shot jets of fire at Aang who reacted swiftly to push Thyra out of the way and protect himself. Thyra flew into the table from the force of Aang's bending, yelping as she hit the hard surface before rolling to the floor.
The moment she had her breath back Thyra lifted her head and crawled around towards the two boys. Zuko being too busy in his attempt to defeat Aang did not see Thyra making her move. When she had a clear path she got to her feet and charged. Anger and determination swelling in her chest as she protected her little brother.
She tackled Zuko around the middle, throwing all of her weight into pushing him aside. They crashed into the floor, Thyra's elbow digging into his gut. Just as quickly Thyra scrambled to her feet and made a run for it as Aang grabbed his glider, is fingers barely grasping the wood before his sister's hand yanked him backwards. As Zuko tried to make a grab for Thyra Aang whipped out his glider and slammed the mattress from the bed into him, crushing him into the wall.
Although terrified and breathing heavily, Thyra giggled quietly, seeing Zuko repeatedly flattened by his own mattress was very amusing. Once Zuko was indeed a motionless lump Thyra grabbed Aang's hand and tugged him out the room.
"Come on." She murmured quietly then began to run as fast as she could towards the deck. Aang led the way, whizzing forwards on his little air balloon that he had bended. "Heads up!" Aang pun around off his balloon and swept his staff elegantly, forcing two guards into the wall, clearing a path for the two children to continue down.
They got to a hatch that led to the bridge and Aang shot up to spin it open. The thundering sound of feet against metal rang in Thyra's ears and she turned, seeing several fire benders shoot around the corner. "Hurry Aang." Thyra murmured hurriedly to her brother, taking up a defensive stance nervously as her fist shook ever so slightly.
"Thyra give me your hand!" Aang called down. Thyra instantly jumped up, her hand curling around Aang's. He thrust his staff down and a stream of air shot beneath Thyra, shooting her up into the air and through the hatch which slammed shut beneath her. Thyra sighed with relief when she felt her feet touch the ground again.
Together they raced for the bridge, hearts hammering as Aang opened out his glider. "Hang on!" He called, grabbing Thyra around the waist with his legs, wrapping them tightly around her as he lifted them both up into the air.
For one breathless moment they were free, ready to soar up into the sky away from the metal ship. Then something grabbed Thyra's ankle and wrenched them both down. Aang cried out, his glider spinning out of control as he lost his concentration, both of them hitting the deck hard.
Thyra and Aang slowly rose to their feet, staring at the fire prince as he faced them. Suddenly his face and stance dropped as he look upwards in shock. "What is that?!" They heard a growl in the distance.
"Appa!" Aang beamed widely as he turned to see his bison flying towards him. Thyra suddenly shoved him out the way of Zuko's jet of flames, crying out sharply as they brushed her arm. She recoiled from the sting, instantly looking down to see if she was burned but thankfully they had only just glazed the sleeve of the coat she had borrowed from Katara.
Aang swivelled his staff around madly as he deflected blow after blow, each hit sending him closer to the edge of the ship. As the intensity and speed increased he leaped up into the air, parting both legs as far as they would go to miss another bolt then landed on the side.
Thyra gasped tightly, watching as Aang wobbled on the edge, struggling to regain his balance. His staff clattered onto the ground and Zuko sent two finishing blasts of fire at her little brother. "Aang no!" She screamed, scrambling to her feet to race for her brother but too late.
Aang tumbled over the side. Fear coursed through Thyra's veins, her eyes widening as she watched her brother disappear over the side. "No! Aang!"
"So you do speak." Zuko murmured to himself. He grabbed the girl's arm, yanking her backwards as she tried to leap over the edge after her brother. "Don't be a fool."
"Let me go." Thyra turned and hissed sharply, attempting to wrench her arm free but his grip was like iron. Without so much as a blink Zuko flung her onto the ground.
"I warned you, there would be consequences to your actions." He murmured darkly. Thyra lifted her head, glaring into the golden depths of the boy she was beginning to hate with a burning passion. Suddenly a plume of twisting water shot from the sea, Aang rising above the ship with his eyes and arrowhead tattoo glowing electric blue. He landed on the deck, his movements flowing together like water.
First it was a slow roll of his arms then he whipped them around, summoning all the water to surround him in a water ring before shooting it out in an arc, knocking everyone who was standing on board the deck over the side.
Thyra had curled up into a ball, feeling the strength of the water bare inches above her cheeks before finally opening her eyes and looking up. Finally silent Aang began to falter, his eyes shutting as he wobbled.
Swiftly Thyra scrambled towards him, opening her arms to catch Aang before he fell. "Aang? Aang can you hear me?" She shook him gently, touching his brow. "Aang?"
"Thyra?" Aang's soft voice was feeble and quiet, his eyes sluggishly opening. Thyra sighed with relief then smiled softly, pulling Aang comfortably into her lap.
"Don't ever frighten me like that again." She murmured, leaning forwards to kiss his face before looking up to Katara and Sokka.
"Aang! Are you okay?" Katara called as she raced over, both of them coming to Aang's side.
"Hey Katara, hey Sokka, thanks for coming."
"Well I couldn't let you get all the glory." Sokka shrugged with a concerned grin.
"I dropped my staff."
"Got it!" Sokka ran over to fetch it, picking it up from the side. Katara made to help Aang up but Thyra shrugged her off, scooping Aang's legs up and standing with him.
"He needs rest." She scowled slightly at Katara before turning her back and carrying him to Appa, helping him climb up into the saddle before taking the reins. "Now get on." She called to the two water tribe kids.
"Hurry up Sokka!" Katara yelled after she had somehow managed to freeze three guards in place.
"I'm just a guy with a boomerang, I didn't ask for all this flying and magic." Sokka muttered to himself.
"Appa yip yip." Thyra called the moment Sokka was running up the bison's tail.
"Wha-AAAAHHHHH!" The moment Appa had flapped his tail Sokka went flying up into the air, arms and legs flailing madly. He crash landed in the saddle, groaning.
"Shoot them down!" Thyra turned her head, her mouth falling open in fear as she watched the massive bolt of fire streaming right for them. Suddenly Aang leaped to his feet, his eyes wide with fear as he air bended the fire away from them and into the side of the ice cliff.
Everyone cheered as the ice crumbled, causing an avalanche of snow to tumble down onto the ship. "Yeah!" Sokka punched the air victoriously. "Take that princey!"
"Princey?" Katara cocked an eyebrow at her brother who grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. Thyra steered Appa away from the ship, heading up into the clouds where they would be lost from view.
After a while Katara turned back to face Aang. "How did you do that? With the water? It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen."
"I don't know, I just did it." Aang shrugged without looking to her.
"You went into the Avatar state, Aang. You became more powerful than any bender on this planet could ever hope to be, which was why when you were in danger you received the power you needed to save yourself." Thyra answered softly without turning to look behind from Appa's head. "The knowledge and abilities of all the Avatar's before you becomes your own, therefore you were able to waterbend."
"What is this? You don't talk at all but now when you're talking about stuff I don't understand what stuff you're talking about?" Sokka rubbed his head. "You're confusing." Thyra did not bother replying to Sokka's comment.
"Thyra doesn't like talking to strangers, or strange people." Aang gave Sokka a small grin. "She has bad experience with them. Plus she's really shy, so she pretends to be tougher than she actually is." Thyra shot her little brother a small glare.
"Why didn't you tell us you were the Avatar Aang?" Aang hung his head dismally.
"Because…I never wanted to be." Katara gazed at him softly as they all lapsed into a silence, the rush of the wind rushing through the hair.
"But Aang, the world's been waiting for the Avatar to return and finally put an end to this war."
"And how am I going to do that?" Before Thyra could answer Katara jumped in.
"According to legend you need to master water, then earth and then fire, right?" Aang nodded his head in agreement.
"That's what the monks told me."
"Well, if we go to the north pole you could find a master to teach you water bending!" Katara reasoned simply, smiling as Aang's lit up.
"We could learn together!" Katara nodded her head in agreement.
"And Sokka, I'm sure you'll get to knock some fire bender heads on the way." Sokka smirked dreamily.
"I'd like that. I'd really like that."
"Then we're in this together!" Katara decided finally, smiling broadly. Thyra sighed softly and turned away, facing the brilliant hues of the sunset. She did not like Katara being this new voice of reason, one that Aang would more likely be inclined to listen to.
Her duty has always been to protect Aang, ever since he was a baby, she was his wisdom, his sense of balance and comfort. Now it seems that her place was swiftly being taken away from her.