Dear Diary,

Today while father was in town, I was sitting at the harbor and watching the boats come in. It was always a lot of fun. I looked down into the water to see myself, and then dropped a pebble in. When the ripples cleared, I saw Prince Zuko in the water next to me! I turned and looked up at him. He didn't smile, but he had his hands behind his back and he twisted back and forth. He is obviously really shy! Tee hee! I smiled and said hello. He just looked down at his feet and kicked another pebble into the water. He asked me if I wanted to play with him. It was weird, because boys never play with girls, it's gross! Yuck! But I said okay and we tried to see who could toss stones into the water the farthest. I won! My father saw me and snatched me up and carried me away. It wasn't fair! I was having fun with Zuko! I just waved and he waved back. That was the end of our play day. Why does father have to ruin everything?

Leiko smile and turned to the next page.

Dear Diary,

I played with Zuko again today! Our fathers were talking in the bastion, and father said he didn't want me around. So I just walked out to the harbor again, and I saw Zuko sitting on the steps. He called me over and asked me to play again. I said, "Okay." And we went to see the ships come in again. This time, we drew pictures in the sand with sticks. I drew a bunny! "Want to be friends?" he asked me. I nodded and said "Yes." So we continued to draw in the sand, but my fun ended when father's tiger came and got me. I hate it when he does that! The tiger picked me up by my dress with its teeth and walked away with me. I whispered goodbye to Zuko, and he tilted his head and waved goodbye. I cried to father later for doing that, and he just told me it was time to practice. I hate practicing! I do it all the time! Father told me that he wished for a son, but he got me instead, so he'll work with what he has. He says I'm going to grow up to be a warrior if it kills me. But I don't want to fight! He said I had no choice and that his goal was for me to be able to lead an army by age 17. I don't want to do this anymore! I want to have fun!

Dear Diary,

Today was horrible! I don't think I have cried so much since my mother died! Today, when I was playing with Zuko, some boys came over and made fun of me and told him he was stupid for playing with me. Well he believed them and left me all alone! So I went to go play with Morina and her cousins, but they didn't want to play with me! So there was nothing left to do but to go home, and father made me practice more. I had just started fire bending, and he's already making me work hard to master it!

Tila chirped again and looked at Leiko. Leiko just gave her a look, "You know that at that age boys start to think of girls as icky and all that stuff. It wasn't his fault. But things got better, like in my next entry." And Leiko turned the page and began to read again.

Dear Diary,

Zuko and I are friends again! Yay! It all started when I was sitting by myself outside my house and some boys came over and began to make fun of me again. I tried to ignore them, but it really hurt my feelings. They said I was ugly and stupid and I began to cry. To make things worse they started to throw rocks at me! I ran away to avoid the flying rocks but I fell and scraped my knee really bad. It was bleeding and it stung really, really bad! I just sat there and cried more as they stuck out their tongues at me…but then Zuko ran up and told them to Go Away! They didn't listen, so Zuko told them all that he would throw them in jail if they didn't stop. One of them kept blabbing on and Zuko pushed him, and then he pushed him back. Then they began to fight and roll on the ground! I was scared at first, but then Zuko punched the boy in the face and he started to cry and they all ran off. Zuko helped me up and asked me if I was okay, but I ignored him. I was still mad about yesterday. But he asked me to forgive him, and he had picked a dandelion for me, so I did. We walked back to his house while holding hands and we had a lot of fun! I'm glad he's my friend.

"See," Leiko stated, "Things turned out okay in the end." But she was taken from her thoughts when the door swung open and her father's shadow covered the floor in front of her. Leiko just stood up and dusted herself off.

"Leiko, come upstairs." Zhao said and Leiko sighed and marched up the stone stairway. Tila stayed perched on her shoulder the whole time. Her father led her with his hands behind his back into another room and motioned for her to sit. "Have a seat."

"No thanks," she replied, "I'll stand." She wanted to be on the guard incase her father tried to murder her again.

"Very well." And he took a seat and folded his hands on his lap. "I just finished speaking to General Kisho." He informed her. Leiko just crossed her arms; it didn't mean anything to her. "You remember him don't you?"

"Um, let me think," and she tapped a finger on her lip, "Kind of old and gray, long beard, bushy eyebrows?"

"Yes, suppose you could say that."

"Yeah… what about him?"

"Well, there's good news. I've been thinking about this for a while now. The only real way to teach you discipline and respect is to wed you off. Having a husband will suit you, and take you out of my hair." And Leiko's mouth dropped open. "You're about the right age now. So after talking to him, I have found you a fiancée."

"You're shitting me!" she yelled, making her father glare at her language. "I'm only 15, and he's in his golden years! He's ancient! I can't marry a man that old!"

"Not him you ditz, his son Kilix!" Zhao roared, "He's only two years older than you and he's looking for a wife! So I gave him you!" Leiko was shocked!

"What the hell? Don't I have a say in this? I'm the one being sold off like a bar of soap! And you just sit on you're ass and treat me like a possession! I'm your daughter you moron!" she yelled, and she knew she was taking the chance of getting beaten again, but she didn't care. Being married to a boy she didn't even know? She wasn't even the marrying type! Did her father actually expect her to go through with it?

"Don't you dare start that up again, Leiko! It's much too late and I'm too tired to beat the piss out of you again." Zhao retorted and Leiko growled.

"I can't believe you!"

"Tomorrow, first thing in the morning, you will meet him. And no cute tricks! Now I'm going to bed. I suggest you do the same because as soon as he leaves you'll be training more." Leiko slapped her face and ran her hand down her cheek with frustration.

"This is so unfair!" she shouted as her father walked off. She had so much blind fury that she began to shake and flames grew from her fists and arms! She quickly spun around and did a round house, kicking over a chair and breaking it into pieces. Glowing embers landed on the rug from her foot. "Damn it!" she screamed to herself and stormed off.