Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Avatar character's or any other character I use unless my own.

Chapter 4: Party Pooper's

Kirana sighed as she followed her guards down the many twisting hallways of the upper floors of the palace. She'd been taking a relaxing bath before she had gotten the invitation to Prince Zuko II private birthday celebration. He was 18 and six feet tall.

What the royal seamstresses and the Princesses thought was a simple kimono was still more laborite than what Kirana was used to but at least it wasn't like the one she wore the Prince's public birthday celebration. That kimono had been three layers of torture to her still sore left shoulder, also it had been decorated with black pearls and train. Even worse, the Fire Lord had let it 'accidentally' slip that she was the Avatar.

"Jo, do you think the rumor's are true?" Kirana asked him as she turned to him.

"Yes." Came his short reply. There was no masking the distaste in his voice. But before she could ask they had retched the doors to the private hall.

The guard's at the door opened it before she could say anything. Three of her guard's plus two of her nurses/handmaidens followed her in.

Pretending she didn't see the Fire Lord's gesture to sit by the Prince, Kirana looked around. The hall was about four meter's wide and five meter's long. Cushions were spread around the room; her father was sitting near the Fire Lord like a good general should. This time she couldn't ignore the Fire Lord.

"Avatar Kirana, I am most pleased you could join us. Please sit." The last part was a command and she knew it. She took the a seat by the Prince, as her three out of her guards spread around the room. She noticed that Jo had taken a spot near her father and was speaking with him.

For a few minuets every one sat in silence, then Kirana felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning she saw that it was the Prince. No matter how many times she saw his face, she would never get used to it. Prince Zuko II looked exactly like his namesake, just without the scar. "Yes?"

"My father would like to know if your father has an answer to his question," Zuko asked.

So the rumors are true, Kirana thought. "No, I don't know. But I can tell you my answer is no." She said this just loud enough for the Fire Lord to hear. "I will go ask him." Getting up left the Fire Lord in a rage and the Prince relieved.

Jo, seeing Kirana approach, stepped away from Jackpher. "Fire Lord Soza would like to know your answer though I told them no." Kirana said this uncomfortable.

Jackpher looked at his daughter and said, "My answer is the same of yours. I don't want my daughter married to the one who gave her the scar a weeks ago." Kirana flinched as her dad reminded her that it was not a few years ago that she had attained the scar, and that it was from the Prince. "What is your reason?"

Kirana took a deep breath and turned to the Fire Lord. "My father says no. But he also asked my reason for not wanting to marry Prince Zuko II. My reason is that I am the Avatar. I don't think I need a man by my side; it would only distract me from my duties as the Avatar. Now if you would excuse me, I will retire." Turning to leave Kirana's father and Jo followed her out, ignoring the Fire Lords words on the way out.

Jackpher sat between his daughter and Jo. "It's time I told the truth," he said. "When Kirana was three I ran into an old friend. Erin. She had a son of four. We decided to meet up at my place after she went home to get Jo.

"For two years we did this. Meeting at my place. You two got along so well that an idea started to form in our heads. What if the Avatar and an Unzarin warrior were united? Erin liked the idea, but the other warrior's did not. We still held onto the idea of you two marring. I still do." Here Jackpher paused for a breath and Kirana realized why she and Jo seemed to know each other. They were old friends.

" After Erin died I lost contact with Jo and didn't see him again until two day's before Kirana's birthday. The Fire Lord wanted capable young men to spy on Dark Avatar. When I met Jo after all those years I knew he would do well on the job. Apparently Dark Avatar sent him to spy on you, my daughter and us. He told me during the party.

"Now I want you both to escape tonight and meat me at the docks tomorrow afternoon. My flagship, Spirit Guide, will be waiting ready for departure. If for some reason I'm not there Commander Sirun will take you to the earth kingdom. My spy network say's there has been a sitting of an Airbender on its way to there. After that your on your own."

Kirana looked at her father sadly as he finished. Knowing what he wanted Kirana nodded, then Jo did. Kirana quickly hugged her father as he left. "I'll wait for your sign Jo," she said.