Chapter One: Freedom
Kaya folded the last of her clothes and placed them neatly into her knapsack. She sighed softly and looked around at her bedroom for the very last time. She never did like it that much. The red glow always reminded her of the treacherous war that was taking place. The bed was too hard, like a giant brick, and the four walls surrounding her always seemed to be closing in on her every day, but never suceeded in crushing her along with her hope and spirit. But despite all this, it was a place where she could just be alone.
Kaya looked out the window. The sun was peeking over the hills, colouring them with tropical hues. She had to leave before the sun rose. Luckily, it was she who usually woke up her father, so unless the rays of the sun were dancing in his room through the window, he wouldn't wake up. She slipped her shoes on, threw her knapsack onto her shoulder, and slid her door open silently. She tiptoed to the front door and smiled as she closed it behind her and jumped off the porch into the dew stricken grass. She looked at that house of nightmares one more time, and then, without warning or much realization of what she was doing, she started running. She ran as fast as she possibly could. Down the hills and up them again, feeling the winds rushing through her long black hair. It felt like freedom.
Soon, the village square came into view. Early shoppers were bunching around fruit stalls and medicine booths. Kaya walked into the square with a broad smile on her face and waved good morning to familiar faces. It wasn't too long before she was greeted by one of the food merchants.
"Kaya! Good morning!" Hiro called out to her.
"Good morning, Hiro!" she said walking towards his stand.
"The usual I presume," he said gathering up her regular order.
"Actually, I'll be taking a lot more than the usual," Kaya replied.
She walked away from that stand a few minutes later with a sack heavy with supplies. Bewildered salesmen she had purchased her things from looked after her as she walked towards the docks. She had an enormous ammount of money with her and she was not on her traditional errand. Something was wrong.
Kaya walked by the many sailors, captains, and admirals of the sea and without much attention drawn to her. She felt invisible among them, but this was not a concern of hers. She found a small boat that would be perfect for her journey. She bought it, and was soon unfurling the mast. It wasn't until she was on the sea when she realized that the red Fire Nation flag was still there. She smirked, and that glow in her ember eyes shone as she took down the flag, balled it up, and set it fire. She threw it into the water with triumph. It was in the past now, and she wanted it to stay that way.
She felt at this point that she hated the fire nation. This war was only out of greed, to show that they were better than everyone else, and that they could conquer the world any time they wanted. It was a child's fight. Kaya frowned at the thought. Her father didn't support her cause. In fact, he was against everything she said. She remembered all the nights of physical abuse she went through every time she protested to her father's opinions.
"Do not question the authority that is the Fire Nation!" BAM! A punch to the face. How many sleepless and bloody nights she had been through! Then she would cry in her room wishing that her mother was there. But that wouldn't have made much of a difference. The only reason her mother was dead was because her own father had killed her. Kaya remembered the horrible face her father had given her as she saw own her mother lying motionless on the ground. "Not a word of this to anyone!" BAM!
They had merely told her brother, who was in the Fire Nation army, that she had comitted suicide. Not like her brother cared. He was a living puppet of his father. It pained Kaya every day to know what kind of family she was stuck with. That's why she began to learn firebending, to make sure that no one else could hurt her. Now she was an expert, and the only one who hurt her was her tyrant of a father.
Finally, when she had turn sixteen, she had it all planned out: She was going to run away to the Earth Kingdom where she could begin living her own life her own way. Maybe even find a groom that wouldn't be as terrible as her father was. She knew her father would not be happy when he found out she had left. After all, she was always the one who would fix him meals and to tend to his every need while he gambled aimlessly with other drunks. But she also knew he would never leave the Fire Nation. Thinking about all the freedom Kaya was entitled to now made her smile with happiness.
Freedom. It sounded so wonderful.
