I do not own ATLA, sadly.
I walked out to the back of my home and started to feed our animals. When my parents got married, they moved back into a Fire Nation village, figuring it would be safer then in "enemy" territory. But it's harder to live here. We started out with ten ostrich horses, a dozen koala sheep, six pig cows, six pig sheep, and and eight turtle ducks. But one day when I was about four, soldiers came through and said how each house hold needed to pay more taxes to help with the war effort. We were poor as it was, so little by little our animals began to disappear as payment. Now all that's left is one ostrich horse, two koala sheep, three pig cows, and one turtle duck. I shook my head as i walked around feeding each animal. I couldn't make myself go back to sleep and risk more dreams. They've been going on for almost a month now and I've felt as if I'll go mad with each one. They're different every night, but with the same eerie atmosphere and the feeling of being slowly suffocated. I tried mentioning them to my mother, but she just waves them off as pre-coronation jitters. I almost dropped the sack of seed in my hands at that thought.
Crap. I completely forgot. I groaned and kicked a rock into the pond in frustration.
The Fire Lord sent out a message about two months ago saying he was stepping down so that his son could take over. Many of us were shocked, because no body knew Fire Lord Ozi had a son.
"He probably thinks he's too good to show his face around us commoners." I grumbled to myself.
Along with his message was an invitation to all eligible bachelorettes in the Fire Nation to come as guests to the coronation, for his son has yet to choose a wife. I snorted at the thought.
I'm just gonna be around a bunch of high pitched giggly girls all night. Also I'll probably have to endure mockery because of my background. "You're not puuuure blood" I thought in a grimy girly voice "why are you even here?"
I rolled my eyes and chucked a rock into the pound, causing a dull 'plunk' as it sank to the bottom.
"Hazel? Hazel are you out here?"I turned to the sound of my mothers voice.
"I'm over here." I called back.
I kept my gaze on the pond as my mother walked toward me. I felt her standing beside me and lay her hand on my shoulder.
"You have a long day ahead of you." She said rather quietly.
I just nodded in response. She sighed and pulled me so I was facing her.
"I know you don't like this sweetie, but I can't change it. It's required that you go. Please don't shut me out." She looked up at me with pleading, golden eyes.
It was bluntly obvious she was my mother. We shared the same wild hair and stubborn attitude. The only difference was our height and our eyes. She was beautiful, but years of stress were evident on her face. I sighed and wrapped my arms around my mother.
"I love you mom."
She hugged me back and I could hear the smile in her voice "I love you too, now let's get you ready."
I followed her into the house and she sat me down in a chair and began to try and tame the beast that's taken over my head. I sat there in silence, hoping to Agni that this day would go by quickly. The gentle tugging of my mothers fingers through my hair calmed me to the point of letting my mind wander to my dreams again.
Is there a meaning behind them? I thought to myself. There's always a man I have to save, but I've never seen his face.
I looked up to notice my mother had finished and was talking to me.
"I'm sorry what?"
"I have a dress for you to wear that I made for this occasion."
I nodded and stood as she went to get the dress. I bit my lip in nervousness. I never wore dresses, or really anything other that a t-shirt and pants. My mother returned holding a dress in the most stunning color I had ever seen. It was a lighter version of the traditional Fire Nation red, more orange with spirals of Water Tribe blue outlining the trim and the designs.
"I'm sorry we couldn't get you something more current in style." My mother said.
I stepped into it and as my mother zipped me up, i felt each of my curves being outlined and exposed and I shook my head.
"It's perfect." I said
My mother refused to let me see myself before she did my make up. I closed and opened my eyes multiple times as my mother plastered on makeup around my eyes and over my cheeks. When I finally looked at myself, I was stunned. I didn't look like me. The dress hugged me in all the right places, with two slits on the sides to expose the dip in my waist. It showed more of my chest then I would ever dare to and was less tight on the bottom so that i could walk. My eyes trailed up to my eyes, which were always piercing, but now they showed the color even more so. My untamable curls now lay gracefully around my head. I shook my head and looked to my mother
"I don't think I can do this." I sounded nervous. But I was terrified.
She just smiled and kissed my cheek, not till then did I notice she had tears in her eyes.
"You know, if the prince chooses you, you won't be permitted to return home." She said in way that she had no doubt I wouldn't return.
I laughed a little and took her hands in mine.
"Don't worry mom, I won't be chosen."
Oh I hope not.
She smiled sadly and took a blue pin from her hair and clipped it into mine.
"This was made by your father and given to me as a wedding present. He carved it himself. Now, it's yours."
I touched the delicate pin in my hair and felt the groves of the Water Tribe symbol and Fire Nation symbol intertwined. Just then my father walked in and tears sprang to his tired eyes as he took my cheeks in his hands.
"My little girl."He kissed my forehead and hugged me tightly. "The carriage just pulled up. I'm afraid this goodbye can't be prolonged."
I nodded as he escorted me out and helped me into the carriage. I waved to my family smiling, calling out reassurances that weren't just for them. I never could have known that the moment i stepped into that vehicle, my life would never be the same.
A/N: Hey! Sorry if this seems choppy, I'm trying to get ideas flowing. Also please follow and review, it really helps me out. See ya!