Destined Girl
Ch.9: Reuniting
I looked back at the water and cocked my eyebrow, my mouth was agape as I was confused. I caught a good picture of that reflection.
It was a boy, with stormy gray eyes and a shaven head. He had a blue arrow like me, his cheeks where high and they seemed to be thinned out. His facial expression was his eyes were on looking like how I would look on at the road and his mouth was just like a thin line.
I looked at the water and saw my own reflection, I looked clean enough. I walked back inside of the cottage as the woman filled a bowl up with stew. She handed it to me as I sat down at the table.
"Thank you," I said. "For everything"
"It's alright" she said.
"I never caught your name" I said.
"My name is Toa Mai" she said.
"Nice name" I said. She smiled.
"What is your's?" she said. I took a bite and swallowed.
"Saro," I said, it sounded weird to use that name. "But I was renamed Maddy,"
"Maddy?" she asked. I nodded.
"I was found when I was ten, and someone took me in. I didn't know my name so he named me Maddy, he became my Pa" I explained. She nodded.
"Where are you from?" she asked.
"America" I said.
"That seems rather far" she said.
"I'm trying to find my brother," I said. "And at least put an end to this war"
She nodded.
"I want my husband back home" she said. "I just want to hug him again"
"I understand ma'am" I said.
"Please call me Toa" she said.
"Toa, I understand" I said. I put my hand on top of her's. "I'll finish this war and your love one will be back home"
She nodded in thanks.
That night, she gave me a nice bed and I fell asleep in an instant. But then I remembered Alainn.
Alainn was galloping off in full speed as I turned to the battle in front of me. I dodged many fireballs and swung my arms and sword around. I quickly bolted.
"Don't let her get away!"
I pounded my feet against the dirt as I ran at full speed using air bending. All the sudden, the picture changed. It was Alainn galloping. I saw several men run after her as she was fighting them off, defending for her own self. She bucked and kicked until she was tied down by several ropes.
"This will make a good dinner"
I could see the fear in Alainn's eyes as she squirmed under the grip of the ropes. She neighed in fear.
"No, she will make a good transportation"
My eyes shot open just as I saw Alainn being hauled away. I clutched the covers and began to cry.
"Alainn" I whispered into the pillow, remembering my beloved horse, which I probably would never see again.
That next morning, Toa Mai gave me a package of food and I bowed in my thanks. She gave me a cloak with a hood and a blanket. She said it will help me with disguising myself. I nodded my thanks as I wrapped the robe around me and slid on my hood.
I set out under the hot sun towards the next town with nothing but my pouch, my sword and my cloak. I silently walked as I felt very lonely without my horse.
I began to feel my eyelids become heavy as the day dragged on. I felt my shoulder give off pain again and I clutched it, hoping it would stop.
That night, I continued walking.
I was just going on with my business as I heard a loud roar that caught my attention. I followed the sound into the forest and saw a big fluffy beast land on the ground. I saw three figures jump off of the animal and begin to set up camp. I notice a boy who was dressed in air nomadic clothing to my opinion. I saw his blue arrow. I backed up in surprise, it couldn't be. It was my brother.
"Jesus, Mary and Joseph" I mumbled under my breath. The boy turned to his companions, I noticed the girl, I began to recognize her, I ran into her in that port! "Glory"
Out of habit, I turned to where I thought I saw my horse, but she wasn't there. I shook my head and I began to force my feet to that camp.
"Hello" I greeted. Everyone looked up and got into a fighting stance.
"Who are you?" asked a man who wore a ponytail, he had drew his boomerang and had it pointed at me. I put my hands up in surrender.
"My name is Maddy-er-Saro" I said, fixing that name. The blue arrow boy came up to me.
"Saro?" the boy asked. I took off my hood and it revealed my arrow, everyone gasped. The boy was wide-eyed. "SARO!"
He rushed at me and pulled me into a tight hug. I felt tears wet my burned shoulder. He pulled apart from me.
"Aang," I breathed as I began to receive the memories. I don't know, something just…clicked. I hugged him back, I found tears were wielded into my own eyes. "It's been so long"
"How do you two know each other?" asked the ponytail boy. Aang let go of me and looked at his friends.
"This is my sister,"
The boy's jaw dropped. The girl came up to me.
"I recognize you," she said. She pointed at me. "I ran into you at the town"
I nodded.
"This is my friend Katara," Aang introduced. "Katara this is Saro"
"Saro?" the girl asked. I nodded.
"His sister," I said as I bowed respectively.
"Wow look at you!" Aang howled as he examined me.
"Look at me?" I asked. "Look at you. You look like you ain't that lanky kid anymore"
"You sure got some muscle too" Aang pointed out. I smiled. "What are you doing out here?"
"I had to find you" I said. He looked at me. "A man told me I needed to find you and help you put an end to this war"
"Well I certainly do need the help," he said. I grinned. The ponytail boy came up to us.
"How do we know this…this girl?" he asked. He pointed a threatening finger at me. "For all we know she could be a fire nation spy!"
"Oi," I said as I took a swipe at his machete that was pointed at my heart. "Move that thing before you hurt someone"
"Yep," Aang said as he walked to be beside me. "That's Saro"
I looked at him and smiled.
That night, Katara and Sokka went to sleep as I laid awake on my bed roll, gazing at the stars, my hands were behind my head and my legs were crossed.
"Something wrong Saro?" came a voice, my brother airbended himself right up beside me. I looked at him as I sat up.
"Nothing is wrong" I replied. "I'm just thinking"
"What about?" he asked, fairly interested.
"I have a confession to make," I said. "100 years when you ran away, I kind of heard and went after you"
By this time, he looked at me like I was crazy.
"I looked for you as far as I could go, and somehow during my search, I ended up sucked in some hallow earth and I was trapped there for some time" I said.
"Like how I was trapped in the iceberg," he said as he looked way, down at the ground.
"The thing is," I said. "When I woke up, I completely forgotten my past and why I was there in the first place"
He looked at me.
"A man found me as I tried to figure out who I was," I said. "It was two years ago in fact"
"Wow," he said.
"He claimed himself to be my father and I was convinced he was Pa" I said.
"He sounds selfish" Aang said.
"He wasn't" I assured him, "He was a great father"
He smiled.
"I'm glad my sister was taken under" he said. I smiled.
"So I heard you are heading to the Northern Water Tribe" I said as I laid back down in the same position.
"Got that right" I heard him say. I turned my head to looked at him.
"How long where you guys travelling?" I asked.
"About two months or so" Aang replied. "You?"
"Same here" I said.
"What's wrong with your shoulder?" he asked. My eyes widened and my mouth dropped a bit at something that totally not in the conversation. I put my hand on my burn.
"I was-I was attacked" I admitted. He looked at me and his eyes were immediately filled with concern. "Six or seven fire benders attacked me and my horse"
"Your what?" he asked.
"My horse, Alainn." I said. My eyes closed half-way as I gazed up at the stars. "She's probably gone by now"
"You mean," he said. I nodded to finish his sentence. He put a hand on my forearm. "I'm so sorry"
"She was a gallant mare" I said. "She's was a good friend too"
He smiled.
"Like that bison over there is to you" I said pointing to Appa.
"You remember Appa right?" he asked me. I shrugged. "Remember the little nudge in the creek"
"Aw yeah" I said as I sat back up. "I reckon I should pay Appa back for that"
Aang laughed as I chimed in. I heard Sokka grumbled.
"Sure is a light sleeper" I said as looked at Aang's tired friend.
"Sure is" he replied as he chuckled a bit. I turned to the girl who slept besides Appa.
"She yer girl?" I asked.
"Who?" Aang asked, he saw who I was looking at. "Katara?"
I nodded as I glanced at him.
"No" he said. "AT least not yet"
"Looks like Aangy's got a crush" I said.
"Don't start" Aang warned me. I laughed. "So what about you? Any boys?"
"Not that I can say," I said. "Although I have two best friends, Tommy and Sam Lind, both are brothers."
He nodded.
"However, I think Tommy has a thing for me because on the day I left, he kissed my cheek" I said as I blushed at the memory. He smiled as he laid a hand on my shoulder.
"Why wouldn't he?" he assured. I looked at him.
"So does she know?" I asked, referring back to Katara.
"Nah," he said, a bit sad. "I'm afraid that if I tell her-"
"She won't feel the same way back?"
He shook his head.
"Why wouldn't she?" I asked. He looked at me. He smiled and let out a soft chuckle. I put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't you worry, I'm sure everythin' will turn out mighty fine"
He smiled.
"You talk differently" he said.
"I was raised in America, what can you do?" I asked. He laughed. I yawned. "I reckon I best get some rest"
"Yeah me too," he said. I laid back down. He smiled at me. "It's great to see you again Saro"
"Same to you Aang," I said as I rolled on my side, my back facing away from him. I heard him jump in the air and fell asleep on Appa. I looked back at the stars.
"Thank you" I muttered under my breath.
To be continued.