Small tanned feet ran across the sand of a Fire Nation island. The sounds of mocking laugher slowly got quieter. The little girl knew that she shouldn't cry. That's what made the laughter get worse. They were cruel sometimes, and her mother said that it wasn't exactly their fault that they believed they were in the right for laughing. The little girl knew that her mother was right, since her mother had been truthful to her even when she was this young. Whether they didn't realize that they were wrong or not, the children that mocked her still made her feel horrible. It wasn't her fault that she was too tan to be a pure-blooded Fire Nation citizen. At the ripe age of seven, Enya knew what it was like to be part of the small amount of people that were half Watertribe and half Fire Nation. Being half Earth Kingdom wasn't a thing to boast either in the volcanic islands, but at least you didn't get called a savage for it.
She only blamed herself for wondering too close to the more affluent side of the island, which faced towards the direction of the capital—The Caldera. Those who lived there were still of mixed blood, but they had since married into strictly Fire Nation bloodlines and had a sense of superiority to go with it. The children who she had ran from; they had come from those families and it showed. They were able to have multiple sets of clothes and shoes. Have their hair pristinely tied back with fasteners bearing the Nation symbols. They were able to go to school (although the school on this island was nothing compared to the ones that were closer to the Caldera, as the parents often bemoaned). They were able to point to their parents and say that they knew their mother and father and what family they came from.
Enya received no such privileges, which was no fault of her mother. Her father was a faceless, violent solider of a blip in her mother's life. Any man who she passed could be her father and she wouldn't even know it. While that led to bullying and awkward talks with strangers, Enya would not have it another way. Though, she did wish that she could use her gift. By the way her mother reacted, Enya still couldn't help but wish that she had been a firebender instead. It would have been expected and easily explained away unlike a waterbender. Her mother wasn't a bender, and they didn't discuss her grandparents much either. But, because her mother came from the Northern Water Tribe, it was a huge possibility that one of her grandparents was a waterbender.
She finally stopped running and swiped angrily at the tears running down her face. It was stupid. It wasn't like she hadn't heard all that they said before. Why had it bothered her so much this time?
Because they have dads that love them and you don't, Enya, a small voice inside her said.
She hated that the voice was right. She hated that she would wander what it was like to have two parents who were together and loved each other and that's why you were here. She felt like a bad daughter. Her mother tried so hard.
"What's wrong, little turtleduck?" Her mother's voice pulled her out of her thoughts.
Enya raised her head and looked at her mother, who despite looking exhausted and being drenched in sweat, cared for her well-being before her own. "I'm ok, Mama…"She half-lied, "I accidentally wandered to the other side and some kids bullied me."
Her mother frowned. She knew it as the 'I'm sorry' frown. Her mother always seemed to have it when something happened because of her mixed heritage. Before her mother could speak, Enya rushed.
"I'll be ok, Mama. I know that they wouldn't say this if they understood. I know it isn't ok still, but I know they're only repeating what they hear."
"My sweet turtleduck." Her mother murmured. "I'm so lucky to have you..I wish we could have a better life. Maybe…" Her mother trailed off into wistful daydreams.
Enya glanced at her mother once more before she tip-toed over to the fire where her mother had dished out their servings. She careful moved her mother's dinner far enough so that it wouldn't get burnt but would keep warm before she carried her own to the table and sat down. Her mother couldn't actually get sea prunes around here, but she could make imitation sea prunes. Her mother said that they tasted just like it, and Enya believed her. After all, the ones her mother made were her favorite.
One day, she was going to have actual sea prunes and be able to waterbend without fear.
