Hello my readers! Because I actually have readers now! AH! I love you all! So hopefully my word doesn't glitch and put it in either bold wording or italics…sorry about that again… Don't blame me, blame my computer, I encourage you to do so. It makes me smile so much every time I read a review or a message or see that the story has been favorited! It makes me so happy!!!!!! Just thought you should know that : )

And yeah, haha, in response to one review, Kaori is kind of bi-polar. She's written to be like air though- like…wind. Wind isn't subtle- it's one way or another. It's either light and calming, or a nice and friendly breeze, or it's wild and crazy. Kaori shows every single emotion she feels- it takes effort for her to hold them back, which is why she's so much fun to write! : D

Enjoy this chapter! Lets go to the past!

XxXxXxXxX

Chapter Nine : Haru and Delra

Haru sat on a table, balancing a leaf in the air. His expression was thoughtful and he contemplated how to solve his problems. He was not a good problem solver though- it had never been his area of expertise, he was fine with that really, too. The wind blew through the trees, and Haru looked up. This place was beautiful, he had to admit that. The temple stood on the top of a huge mountain, unreachable by anyone who wasn't an air bender. But he wasn't stuck up here- below the mountain was a small village, which was where they bought their supplies from. Still, nothing compared to the view of the clouds and the smell of the wind all around him- well, nothing that no one knew about anyway.

That was the heart of his problem.

A boy slammed into the room to Haru's left, interrupting his thoughts. Most of the kids around here all looked the same, all with the same orange and yellow clothes, blue arrows on their heads. Not that Haru looked any different, but at least he didn't have to attend the classes that they did- after turning twenty, he was being taught how to be a proper monk. Which he hated. Very much.

"What's got you down, kid?" Haru asked, raising an eyebrow at the boy.

The boy turned and looked at Haru, his shoulders slumping suddenly, as if all the anger had been blown out of them. "They won't play air ball with me!"

Smiling, Haru jumped off the table, coming over and putting a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Cause you're the avatar, right?"

The boy nodded. "It isn't all it's cracked up to be. I just want things to go back to the way BEFORE I was the avatar,"

Haru sighed, leading the boy over to a balcony, then laid his elbows on the railing, his head in his hands. "Oh…don't we all…"

The boy looked at him, startled. "Wait, what do you mean?"

Haru laughed, standing up straighter and slapped the boy on the back. "Relax, Aang, I'm just kidding," He laughed as the boy smiled at him- it was a breath of fresh air that this kid could take a joke. "Sometimes…sometimes we have to do things we don't want to do," Haru's voice trailed off at the end and he stared out at the sky.

The boy, Aang, scowled a little. "But it's so unfair,"

Haru sighed. "Kid…" he said softly. "Life is always going to be unfair. The only thing you can do is go right along with it. Keep up with it. Show it what you can do," He smiled and patted Aang on the shoulder. "And kid, you're going to do a lot,"

Aang looked at Haru, his eyes pleading for an answer. "But how do you know? No one treats me the same!"

Haru shrugged. "That's cause they know what you're going to do," He paused for a moment, grinning slowly. "Now…myself on the other hand…well…I'm not going to treat you differently… Cause to me…you're always going to be as thin as a stick…as bald as new baby…and as obnoxious as one too, baby brother!" Quickly, laughing, he took the glider from his back and jumped off the balcony, soaring into the air.

"Hey!" Aang yelled, taking out his glider as well. "For the record, you're just as bald as I am!"

XxXxXxXxX

Haru walked through the town, ignoring the looks he got. Even though the air benders had always done trade in this village, they were still stared at. Sure, the clothes and the blue arrow made him stick out, but sometimes he got tired of the looks. Like he was someone on parade for these people's entertainment. It was hard to pretend to be invisible when you were in training to become a monk.

Haru followed a trail that led him away from the town, towards the river that swirled around it. He passed by a few women returning from the river, fresh laundry balanced on their hips and he waved at them pleasantly. He had always been a charmer, able to make friends with anyone. His blue eyes were kind and something about them was trusting.

Haru paused, glancing around the river. No one. He stepped closer to the river, frowning when he saw a pad of paper and a pencil on the ground. A sketch had been abandoned, only half way done.

Suddenly, he could not see, as two hands covered his eyes. "Gotcha! Guess who?" A voice said, and Haru smiled widely.

"Could it be…a baboon monkey?" he asked, and the hands were taken away.

He turned around to face the girl, Delra, as she gasped. "I do not," she exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips, "-sound like a baboon monkey!"

Haru laughed and shrugged his shoulders. "It wasn't me who said it…"

Delra walked towards him, coming to a stop when her nose almost touched his. "Who? Who said it? You tell me right now and I swear I'll-"

Haru put a finger against her lips, wrapping his other hand around her waist. He removed his finger from her lips, putting that hand instead against her cheek. "Gotcha…" he whispered, pressing his lips against hers softly. He felt Delra chuckle quietly as she responded to him, her own lips just as soft against his, yet filled with so many words and emotions.

When their lips parted, Haru looked into Delra's brown eyes, smiling gently. "I miss you," he said quietly. "You're all I could think about,"

Delra placed a hand against the back of his neck, leaning her forehead against his. "But you shouldn't…" she whispered.

For three years, Haru had been seeing Delra- the best three years of his entire life. He had seen her one day in town when she was giving a presentation to her people. Her father and mother had stood beside her, looking proud, but Haru knew that look in her eyes- the same one he had worn so many times. She didn't want to be there, she wanted to be somewhere else. Somewhere free. But she had her duties as royalty to attend to- there was no freedom in that.

They had spoken after her presentation and Delra had been instantly enthralled with him. He was an air bender, exciting and wild, and something about him drew her closer. Haru had never met someone who made him feel like the element he could bend. Delra was beautiful- long black hair all the way down to her thin waist, eyes as brown as chestnuts, skin as pale as the moon. He had never seen someone like her before, someone so gorgeous and so filled with opinions and ideas.

All he wanted in life was Delra.

"I can't help it, Delra," Haru whispered, closing his eyes. "I tried, you know I tried and I know you did too, but it's pointless now. I love you,"

Delra took a breath, closing her eyes as well and moving closer to him. "I love you too," she said gently, "But…but we cannot be…I've…I've been telling you this since the beginning…"

Haru shook his head just the slightest, opening his eyes and threading his hand through her hair. "Delra…" he said quietly. "Won't you marry me? Won't you be mine for the rest of our lives…"

Delra stared at him, her eyes pained as they pricked with tears. "Haru…" she whispered, her voice strained. "You know how badly I want to say yes…but…the council…you know that it is your law for you to marry a woman from the temple,"

Haru tightened his grip on her. "I refuse, I'll tell them that Delra. I don't want some random woman that the council says I must have. I want you and only you and that will not change," He kissed her rather hard, holding her tightly and gasping when he broke his lips from hers. "I'm going to approach the council, I'm going to ask them for your hand,"

Delra closed her eyes, putting her hand on his cheek. "We cannot win…" she whispered.

Haru pulled her to him again, tightly. "You will see," he said forcefully, to himself or to her he did not know.

XxXxXxXxX

"Step forward…..Haru," Five old men looked at him, each wearing their monk robes, each more prestigious than the next. The only one that Haru truly liked was the one that was teaching his brother, Aang, but he could not remember his name.

"Speak, young monk,"

Haru bowed at the waist, raising back up, his expression serious and professional. "Council," he said slowly. "I come before you today to ask a request. I have been an honorable pupil-"

"Except for the time you stole from the market vendors," one council member spoke up, frowning.

"Or taught the children inappropriate words to call their elders," another added, and the others nodded in agreement.

Haru winced. "Y-yes…those were…unfortunate times. I was young though and immature, foolish but with my years I have grew in wisdom." He stood taller. "I am ready to take on a wife,"

The council raised their eyebrows, looking at one another until finally someone spoke. "You wish to take a wife…very well…we will see who is a suitable match for you here in the temple and return to you with our answer,"

Haru hesitated. The center monk gave him a curious expression. "Was there more?" he asked.

Haru nodded. "Y-yes. I wish," He swallowed hard. "I wish to marry a woman that I have already chosen. Princess Delra Yuogoi,"

There was a collective gasp and the center monk stood up. "Absolutely not!" he exclaimed, swiping his hand. "It is against the law for a monk to marry outside of the temple! We must preserve our air bending genes and if you marry outside of the temple, you cannot do that!"

Haru took a step forward. "But I love her, you cannot stop that!"

The monk who taught Aang raised a hand. "Perhaps we should consider-"

"No!" Another monk yelled. "The law is the law!" He looked at Haru sharply. "You should break your contact with this girl immediately- her world is not yours, young monk, and you should know you're place. You were born an air temple monk, and you will die as one- with a wife or without one!"

Haru stood there, his body frozen in shock before he turned quickly, running from the council. His eyes were burning but all he wanted to do was get away from them. How could they tell him no? How could they defy the strongest emotion in the world- love? Did they not understand- had they not felt it before?

"Haru? Haru, wait, stop!"

Haru turned around sharp, facing a confused looking Aang.

"Where are you going?" Aang asked, as Haru turned around, continuing in the direction he was heading. Haru ground his teeth together as he heard Aang following him.

"I don't know," Haru growled.

"But what's the matter?" Aang asked. He stepped in front of Haru, blocking his way.

Haru closed his eyes for a moment, clenching his fists. "Aang…" he said slowly. "Get out of my way,"

Aang shook his head. "Not until you tell me what's wrong,"

Haru let out an exasperated groan. "Life! Life is what's wrong!"

"Life's unfair…right, Haru? Sometimes you just have to do what you're told…"

Haru got down on his knees, putting his hands on Aang's shoulders. "Don't you ever," he whispered. "Ever believe that. Aang, you are the avatar, and you can't run from that and the duties that come with it, but don't you let them tell you what kind of avatar to be. You decide for yourself what kind of person to be and what you believe in, don't let them take that away from you,"

He stood up quickly, stepping past Aang and walking towards the exit.

"Haru, but where are you going? What are you going to do Haru?"

Haru turned and looked at his little brother, wincing a bit on the inside. His baby brother…he might need him in the future, but Haru could not look past his own heart. He could not survive here. "I'm going to do what I need to do, Aang. You're going to make an incredible avatar, I know it. The world…it will know it too,"

He turned quickly, continuing on his way and wiping his eyes free of any sign of tears. Aang stood there, looking bewildered, not knowing that this would be the last time he would ever see his brother again.

XxXxXxX

Haru tapped on the window quietly but in a hurried manner. "Delra," he whispered. "Delra, open the window,"

He smiled as he saw her approaching and the window flipped open. "Haru?" she whispered, her eyes widening. "What…what are you doing here?"

He motioned her to move aside and pulled himself through the window, glancing around at her room- he had never seen it before and he supposed it was the proper room for a princess. It was heavily decorated and her bed looked as if it had a thousand blankets on it. Still, it was better to be standing than hovering outside her window.

"I talked to the council," he said quickly.

He heard her sharp intake of air. "And?" She came over to him, her hands on his chest. He took her wrist's in his, holding onto them tightly.

"And…and they said no," he whispered, and at her fallen expression he shook his head. "But I won't let them dictate my life, I want to be with you, and I will be."

She stared at him, eyes wide again. "But what are we supposed to-"

"Run away with me," Haru said simply. "Run away with me and lets never look back. We'll find somewhere to live, Delra, you and me and we'll be happy. Forever,"

Delra closed her eyes, her mouth quivering. "But…I have duties here…I can't…"

"Delra," He put a hand on the back of her head gently. "Do you want to be with me?"

"More than anything," she breathed. "You know that,"

"Then don't think about your duties, I'm not thinking about mine. What do you want to do, Delra? Tell me,"

"I want…" she said slowly. "I want to be with you. Forever,"

He kissed her lips softly and she closed her eyes, tilting her head back. "Then pack your things…" he whispered against her lips. "And come with me,"

XxXxXxXxX

Kaori opened her eyes, staring at Zuko who had been captivated by the story of her ancestors. "She did, go with him I mean. They left that night and no one heard from them again. They couldn't find them, no matter how hard they searched. In the end, we know that they came to an island and grew to be the rulers of it,"

"So you're an air bender because…" Zuko began, and Kaori nodded.

"Because it's in my blood. My grandmother was the first to actually notice the bending ability, my father didn't have it, but they saw it in me," She said, closing her eyes and sighing softly.

Zuko stared at her, gripping the bars. He turned his head, hearing footsteps approaching. "I will get you out of here," he whispered quickly, and she merely stared at him, neither trusting nor disbelieving.

Zuko got to his feet, walking to the door and then turned to look at her. "Kaori…" he began, wanting to say much more, though he wasn't even sure what that was. He shook his head and left the room, pulling the door shut behind him with a slam.