Author's note: Hey, I don't have a note...other then, please keep reading.
Hated Desire
Chapter Six: Memories
"Tilin, I..." Lamin stuttered as she walked into her office. "I...don't know what to say."
"So your not gonna kill me?" He asked blushing.
"No, no of course not." She answered, still looking around her flower filled office. It was filled with Panda Lilies. A flower were really only native to Mt. Mahaku. A very large volcano quite a long distance away from the Fire Eyes. They also happened to be Lamin's favorite and hold a special meaning to the sixteen year old girl. "How did you get all these?"
"I told you, I was flower picking." Tilin replied with a sly grin. Picking one up, he held it out to her. Taking it, she smiled. Remembering the first time she'd ever seen these flowers.
It was the spring Lamin was seven. Akia had given her permission to come along on an important mission to the Earth Kingdom mountain. Or that's what Akia told her. When your seven getting to leave the Fire Eyes, no matter how short a distance, was a great honor. It meant you were working hard and were a model student in training.
"Nothing to say young Lamin." Akia asked during the long ride. They were inside one of Akia's many carriages. It wasn't lavish like many would have expected but simple. The Fire Eyes leader hated drawing unwanted attention to herself. "Its been quite a long time, I would expected you to have questions." Lamin just shook her head. "Do you know where we are?"
"The northern portion of the Earth Kingdom, Madam Akia." She answered not looking up. Her voice cold even for such a young age. Akia smiled at her response. "such a smart little girl, yet she worries me."
Finally they reached the village. A soft smell of flowers greeted them. Along with a strange woman.
"Hello Akia." The woman said as they stepped out of the carriage. "Been awhile hasn't it dear?" She said, giving Akia a hug.
"My Aunt Wu, how have you been?" Akia replied, hugging her back. Lamin just stood quietly and watched. It would have been rude of her to say anything. Her teachers always told her Children were to be seen, never heard and Lamin lived by that rule, among others.
"I have been fine. Now, I knew of your coming but not of you reasons. Why are you here?"
"I'm here on business. There are few disturbances that I was asked to check out recently. One was a small Fire Nation group up on Mt. Mahaku." She said, smiling and looking towards the large mountain.
"Oh lovely. Are you getting rid of the pests? Well, I guess you can't really tell me that now can you. Anyway, who are you?" The fortune teller asked bending down to Lamin's eye level.
"My name is Lamin." She answered giving a small respectful bow. Akia smiled again as she looked down at Lamin.
"Well, we must be going. It was nice to see you again Aunt Wu." Akia said placing her hand on Lamin's shoulder and leading her towards the mountain. "Lamin, do you know why we're here?" Akia asked after a little while of walking. Lamin shook her head silently. Her medium length hair moving as she shook her head. "Well, I have a few things to take care of but, I took you because I thought you would enjoy it here." Confused, Lamin stopped walking and looked up at Akia. A puzzled look on the child's face. "You work so hard during training. You are the top of your class and never cause any trouble. When we got you, I was worried you might be a problem child seeing as you had no parents. All of the other children in training and have parents around them to help them get through things."
"Not to be disrespectful Madam Akia, but...what happened to my parents?" She asked coldly. Even as a small child Lamin was cruel, cold and uncaring. Plus she'd never asked about her parents before. Till just then Lamin had always thought Akia was her mother. Being told she had no parents made her ask something, she normally wouldn't have.
"Some things should not be told to children. The important part is, I am your care taker." Akia said beginning to walk again. She began following and that was when Lamin saw them. A grand bouquet of flowers being handed to young woman by a young man. She was thrilled and immediately began hugging him. Lamin stopped walking for a second and just stood there. Watching their every movement silently. "Lamin?" Akia asked turning around to look at her when she'd realized Lamin wasn't following. She made no movement though. It was like she hadn't even heard her.
"You don't know what those are, do you?" Akia asked with a smile. The girl just shook her head, still staring at the couple. "They're called Panda Lilies. When a young man, loves a young girl, he climbs the mountain and gets her a Panda Lily." She explained. "Then her gives it to her as a sign of their love."
"What a stupid thing to do." Lamin said turning her gaze finally. "She'll probably just break his heart by cheating on him later. She doesn't love because love is impossible and dumb."
"Don't be so sure Young Lamin." Akia said beginning once again to walk to their destination with her back to the girl. What Akia didn't know was Lamin had picked up one of the flowers that had fallen from the bouquet.
"I swear on this flower, to never become that venerable and weak." She said before tossing it aside and catching up with her care taker. From that day on, the Panda Lily always held special meaning to her. It was with that flower, she threw away almost all of her emotions.
"So, we're cool? Your not gonna kill me?" Tilin asked, snapping her out of her memories.
"No, Tilin, I'm not going to kill you." She said slowly, placing the flower down. "Now come along, we need to get back to the banquet before it ends." Walking out into the hallway, she looked at her flower filled office again. The words she spoke so sincerly as a child ringing through her head.
"I swear on this flower, to never become that venerable and weak."
"Lamin come on! There was just a loud bang in the dinning room!" Tilin yelled from down the hall.
"I swear on this flower, to never become that venerable and weak. Never will I."
Cliff hanger and memories of her childhood? What more does this chapter need?