Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters apart from Araic
Chapter3: Nightmares
The woods were dark, their tall dark boughs towering over her. She was running, her little feet getting cut on the cruel thorns. The hand she held on to dragged her through the forest.
"Ma-a where's daddy, I want daddy, where is he?" the little girl cried.
"Daddy's talking to Uncle Bori" Niamh said as she pulled her little girl through the jagged bushes.
"But Ma-a Uncle Bori was shouting at Daddy. Why was he shouting at Daddy? Ma-a why are we running? Ma-a where is Daddy?" the little girl kept asking the questions.
"Shhh dear" Niamh said pushing the wee girl behind a muddy brown bush.
That was when the tall, imposing silhouette of Bori emerged from the gloom forest. He gazed murderously at his sister.
"Where is the filthy half breed dear sister" he hissed
"What have you done to him, Bori? What have you done to him?" Niamh screamed at her brother.
Bori signalled to the thick passage of trees. Three men stepped out dragging the muddy, broken, body of a fire nation soldier. His neck had been broken and his black hair tumbled down his shattered face. His amber eyes would stare at the earth for forever more.
"NOOO! ZAIR! NOOO! Why Bori? Why have you done this? How could you do this? He was your own brother-in-law. Why have you done this to me?"
"THE FIRE NATION IS NO BROTHER TO ME! AND YOU, TRAITOR, ARE NOT MY SISTER! Where is that abomination of a child"
I shivered. Why was uncle talking about me like that? Why was he screaming at Ma-a? Why was Daddy not getting up? I thought any minute now he'd lift his head up and shout "SURPRISE" and I'd laugh, we'd all laugh, but it wasn't a joke. Why was Daddy lying there? He was like Emmy, slumped over like my rag doll unable to sit up straight. I clutched Emmy. Ma-a and Auntie Rona had made her for my birthday. She had brown hair and little green bead eyes like everyone else, not like daddy or me. She had a little pink mouth that would smile for eternity. It was a birthday present but the real present was when Daddy came home a few days ago. He's been away for a full year.
Daddy left when I was only four. We moved away to Siramiris a few weeks later to live with Uncle Bori and Aunt Rona. It was great, Uncle Bori taught me how to make stones fly. He was really nice to me and Ma-a until Daddy came back. After Daddy came back Uncle Bori began shouting at my Ma-a and we had to move out. It was OK Auntie Rona but would visit never Uncle Bori. I would play with Daddy instead of Uncle Bori. He could make flames appear out of nowhere. No one else's Daddy could do that but Ma-a gave him a row when he done it in the house.
Then one night Aunt Rona ran into our house and began screaming so Ma-a grabbed me and dragged me into the forest. Daddy followed us but one of Uncle Bori's friends through a big rock at us so Daddy began sending fire at him. He told me and my Ma-a to run, so we ran further into the deep forest.
"Where is she? If you tell me where that mongrel is I won't hurt you, sister. Do you want to end up like him" Bori said kicking Daddy.
"Zair" Ma-a whimpered. "I will never tell you where she is. Araic is your own niece""Sister I warned you that that fire-bender would bring nothing but trouble, but you wouldn't listen" Uncle Bori roared sending a boulder flying at Ma-a.
Ma-a bended a bigger rock at him. Then one of Uncle Bori's friends hit Ma-a over the head with a club and she went to sleep. Then…then he tied her to a tree then…then…h…he pulled out a rusted d…dagger he c…cut m…my Ma-a's throat. She made a gagging noise. I covered my ears and squeezed my eyes shut.
When they'd left I screamed for hours.
"Ma-a you can't leave me Ma-a please come back. Ma-a wake up. Daddy wake Ma-a up. Daddy we need to get up before they come back. Daddy come on. Daddy don't leave me, please Daddy I want to go home. Look I learned a new trick. Don't leave me Daddy" I begged them to wake up, tears cascading down my cheeks.
Araic bolted up sweating, shaking, wet tear trickles on her face. She kept seeing Bori slitting her mother's throat and kicking her dead father. He would have killed me too she thought. Why? Because of my Daddy. Ma-a loved Daddy. She didn't care that he wasn't an Earth-bender. She didn't care that his hair and eyes were different. She didn't care but everyone else did.
Araic got out of her green patchwork quilt and picked up the wrist-plate that sat on the little bedside table. It was gold and was decorated with a red dragon. It was light but could withstand the heat of a furnace. It glistened in the moonlight coming through her open shutters. Araic played with it, cleaning it so she could see the moon's reflection in it before slipping her hand in. Daddy had said that one-day it would fit her, it fitted now. Daddy wore it all the time before…
Then Aang's monkey-thing Momo nimbly climbed through the open window, waking Araic from her memories. Momo jumped on to the bed and began to hiss. Momo's hair went on end; he resembled a cat more than a lemur. Morri gave Momo an inquisitive look before growling at the door.
"What is it girl?" Araic murmured, before getting up and walking out to the silent hallway.
In the castle, Lord Rigan was in the great hall pigging out on a leg of wild boar when Mathos Head of the Royal Guards ran into the hall.
"My lord we just got this message. My lord the hawk was…Fire Nation." Mathos said a hint of worry in his hoarse voice.
Rigan stared at the letter. It had a bold blood red seal wax. The seal was emblazoned with a firebird. There was no doubt who this was from. Rigan's fat body shook as he read the letter.
Your Highness,
My navy is positioned around your pathetic island, all equipped with multiple catapults. If you do not hand over the avatar immediately then I shall blow your pitiful is land to the murky depth. We know the Avatar is there. You will hand over the Avatar on the shingle beach at dawn tomorrow morning. If you fail to comply with my demands then we shall blast you all to Hell.
Be seeing you soon
Fire Prince Zuko
Rigan's hand trembled as he read the red inked page over and over. Damn benders always ready to pick on someone. Damn Avatar if it was up to me they'd all be in the murky depths. Why were they given these powers they always use them to destroy.
"Mathos?""Yes my lord"
"Where did you send that Avatar brat that arrived yesterday"
"Emm…I dumped him and his friends with the Wolfchild."
"Friends?"
"Water-benders, no real threat."
"Right here's the plan" Rigan began, trying to find a bit of parchment that wasn't stained. "We'll take the Fire Prince to the Avatar. It'll be a lot easier. Do you think you get all those retched benders away… apart from yourself of course?
"Yes, Sir. I'll send them to the other side of the island. I'll go get them now"
"Wait take this" Rigan said giving a grotty letter to Mathos.
Back on the ship.
This just arrived for you, Prince.
Zuko took the squally bit of parchment with disgust.
Your Eminence Prince Zuko,
I would be happy to give the avatar to your graciousness in order to spare my island and my people. In order to catch the Avatar by surprise I would ask if you could come before dawn. He is currently staying in a cottage with a young inexperienced earth-bender. I have sent all other benders to the other side of the island. Apart from my personal guard, Mathos. I look forward to meeting you
Your humbly Lord Rigan,
An eternal servant to the Fire Kingdom.
As Zuko read the letter a grin spread over his face. This was way too easy. Normally the most difficult part of capturing the avatar was dealing with the natives but with this already handled it would be a lot more easy.
"We're going to get him this time, Uncle. I can feel it. I'm going home. I'm finally going back. I'll be back where I belong. Things will finally be back to normal. I'm going to catch the avatar, finally, I'm going to get him"
Zuko could picture the scene. Aang struggling in the grasp of two soldiers. His father walking down the black marble stairs. Welcoming his son home from the sea. He could see Zhoa, the man would be stripped of his rank for what he'd done to the prince. He would walk into the hall everyone would be cheering and waving. He would be home.
" Sorry, to burst your bubble, young one, but we don't have him…" Iroh interrupted
"…Yet"
Araic placed her feet carefully on the wooden floorboards, avoiding the squeaky one. She opened the door a crack and slipped out followed by Morri and Momo. Momo sat on Morri's back, like she was a horse. Momo and Mori quietly led the way down the dusty path to the rippling beach.
Something wasn't right above the murmur of the waves hitting the cove was the quiet whisper of a conversation. There was a group of people. One was clearly Mathos the bossy, arrogant leader of the guards. The smaller, fatter one beside him looked like 'Lord' Rigan. But the other people were unknown to Araic. Their armour was different, black and crimson, similar to the armour her father once wore. They all carried torches. No, that wasn't right. They weren't carrying torches; it took Araic's sleepy mind a few seconds to click. Their HANDS were on FIRE.
I better get back. Araic thought as she moved back into the shadows from her hiding place behind a bush. She leapt down the path, springing over fallen branches. She had to warn them. She slammed the door and barged into the room Aang and Sokka were sleeping in.
"Wake up, NOW" she screamed. The walls shook slightly.
"Five more minutes" Sokka moaned and rolled over.
"But there are fire benders…" Araic began.
But was interrupted by Sokka "where?" He leapt to his feet and drew his boomerang.
"On the beach. We have to move, NOW!"
As the boy's ran to wake their sister and get changed Araic filled their packs with food and water.
"You've got a five minutes head start." Araic said handing them their packs. "Mori will lead you through the forest to the temple. You can summon your flying bison from there." She turned to Morri "Morri lead them then go to the pack. Then go to Rakuna get help. NOW GO!"
"What you're not coming?" Sokka asked puzzled
"I'll slow them down, give you a chance to get a decent escape. Remember head straight for the temple, don't stop. Go quickly"
"Bye Araic" There was a mixture of 'Thank you's, 'bye's and tears but Araic managed to get them to leave.
Araic went into Meva's old room and picked up Emmy and the pocket sized painting. Auntie Rona painted it a few days before… Quickly she got dressed into her green camouflage cloak and green and black garments. The only armour Araic decided to wear was her helmet and the Fire Warrior wrist plate since she wasn't planning on actually fighting the fire bender. She was only trying to slow them down. Carefully she applied her grey-green face paint into the curved wolf teeth. Then grabbing her spear she waited in the hall and faced the door.
Wooness third chapter.
One more thing:
Can anyone think of a decent summery for this story cause mines kinda insert word.
Oh
yeah REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW even if it's criticism.
