"You can't keep her from bending! You're destroying her only future!" Shang snarled, his stony brown eyes boring into his wife who stood tall and readily against him.
"I will not loose a second child to this war – she will never use her abilities and never be enlisted in the army!" Shitomi snapped back, straightening up even more, her fiery amber eyes glaring back fiercely.
Kaio, the foreshadowed 'second child', sat on her bed, staring at the open door into the corridor. Her long black hair was tied back in a knot and she wore dark robes and a high-neck shirt. She couldn't've been any older than six years old…
"I will not be dishonored because you won't let her fight for her country!" Shang shouted. Kaio flinched in her room, gnawing at her cheek. "We are the height of the world, Shitomi! I doubt she would even be sent into a battle!"
"No!" Shitomi cried, finally frustrated to tears. "If you will not listen to my wishes for our daughter, then you won't have a part of her life anymore – nor mine! We're leaving."
"You are not taking Kai away from me! Not when we've already lost Neo together…"
"I'm leaving. You'd better not try to stop us and if you follow, I will call the Guards!" Shitomi stormed to Kaio and grabbed the girl by her wrist. Yanking hard, Kaio was pulled to her feet harshly and stumbled. She grabbed a small doll decorated as a Water Tribe girl before rushing passed her father who watched sadly as they left him…
They haven't spoken since.