I realized that somewhere in the writing of this, I changed Arrkun's name. It was originally Arrluk. I don't know what one I like better, but I would like to make it consistent. Which one do you as readers like best?

Chapter 1

Eona
Fire Nation capital, Two years after the nations separated

Eona glanced around the palace courtyard, checking to make sure it was empty. When she was sure she was alone, she slipped out into the moonlight, her bare feet not making a sound on the dry ground. Dressed in a simple read tunic, her long black hair pulled back in a tight braid, nobody would have guessed her royal heritage by looking at her. Her heart beat rapidly, her nervousness and excitement making it race.

The full moon above was just bright enough to aluminate the dilapidated walls around her. This part of the palace had once been the extra guest wing, and the Firelord had no intention of repairing it, at least not in the near future. While the rest of the palace had been restored to its former glory, this wing and its courtyard remained unused, scarred, and falling apart. It made for a perfect secret firebending practice area; It's high walls prevented anybody outside the palace from seeing the glow of the fire, and the empty rooms guaranteed no one would be spying from inside the palace. The courtyard's grass had long since dried up, to be replaced by a hard, sandy surface. The courtyard's surroundings were already scorched black from the war, so there was no reason to worry if she accidentally lost control of the fire.

The young princess sighed heavily, and sat cross-legged in the center of the empty courtyard. She had to force herself to spend a couple of minutes silently meditating, or her racing emotions would make it hard to control the fire she was about to conjure. As her heartbeat settled and she felt more sure of herself, Eona stood, walked to one side of the courtyard, and breathed in deeply, searching for the energy insider her. Her hands became swathed in fire, it's glow dancing across her surroundings, and picking up the hint of gold thread in her red tunic. She smiled slightly at its sight.

She began a sequence of firebending, her movements fluid and exact. Though firebending at night made her bending not as strong as it could be during the day, she still felt the deadly power fire brought her. She could only imagine how strong her bending would be during the day. It had been so long since she had bended under the light of the sun, she had gotten used to not having the extra strength it brought.

She continued to practice, fighting off invisible enemies. Every time she came to practice, it always made her think of her mother, who had disappeared a few years into the war. Her mother had taught her everything she knew, in secret because her husband had always disapproved of firebending. Lucky for Eona, that guaranteed that none of her family knew about it. Now that firebending was all but illegal, it was crucial for her to keep it a secret. She would lose everything if her father found out she was a bender.

After a few hours, she paused, breathing heavily, and then allowed the fire to die. She knew she couldn't stay out much longer; she was expected at an early meeting with her sister and father, and she couldn't afford to oversleep because she had stayed up all night firebending. Eona glanced around the courtyard, making sure she hadn't left any small fires behind, and then slipped back into the shadows as if she had never been there. As she did, a shadow across the courtyard shifted, the only sign that someone else had been present.

Avani
Somewhere in the earth kingdom

Avani blinked, the sun above waking her from her sleep. She stretched dramatically, yawning as she did, and then stood. She abruptly fell back down as pain exploded through her head. Wincing, she rubbed the top of her head and glanced up, realizing she had smacked her head on the low ledge she had slept under. Great Avani, what a wonderful way to start the day, she thought. Nothing like a headache to make wandering as a fugitive just that much better.

She sighed and started rolling up her sleeping bag. Attaching it to the top of her backpack, she slung the pack onto her back, when her stomach growled. Right… breakfast. She pulled the pack off, and started rummaging around inside. Eventually she pulled out a small package. Inside was a couple pieces of jerky. Well, there goes the last of my food, she thought as she ate the coupled pieces. This sucks.

When she finished, she once again placed the pack on her back, and carefully backed out from under the ledge. Once out from underneath it, her green eyes scanned the landscape around her, wondering what way would be smartest to go. She had come from the south, and for the most part had just headed north. With no real destination in mind, she was just wandering from town to town, trying to find a place to stay.

Just a month ago, Avani had lived with her parents in a small town near the shore. The three had lived a semisecret life, hiding their bending from the world while still trying to live a normal life. It had been a wonderful life, until the soldiers had shown up.

Images of that night still plagued Avani's dreams. She couldn't help but think about it. Her mother had shown up in the middle of the night, shaking her awake and handing her the pack now swung on Avani's back. She had forced her daughter out the back door and told Avani to run. Her father had disappeared out the front, and then she had heard shouting. Terrified, but knowing why the men were there, Avani had obeyed her mother, hurrying out the back door. She had run, clutching the pack to her chest, her stubborn earthbending personality the only thing keeping her from breaking down in tears.

She hadn't seen her parents sense, and didn't expect to. She had accepted that harsh reality weeks ago, but it still hurt to think about them, and she still missed them terribly. At sixteen, she felt she shouldn't have to face the world alone, but that was the hand the fates had dealt her. I'll make it through this, one way or another, she reminded herself, forcing herself to concentrate on her present situation.

She turned and started down the path, heading north again, not sure what else to do. She hoped to run into a town soon, so she could get more food. She had found a handful of money in the bottom of the pack, and had saved it to buy more food when she ran out. She knew it wouldn't last long, and had no clue what she would do once she run out of money too. Maybe I could stay permanently in the next town I run into. Get a job. Maybe. She hadn't stayed long in any town for very long. After all, she was still a fugitive. Who knew how far word of her and her family had spread? She couldn't risk getting caught. She couldn't risk throwing away her parents' sacrifice like that.

Eona

Eona stared at her reflection in the mirror as her maid tied her hair up in a tight bun, and then nestled the symbol of the crown princess into the dark locks. She was dressed in formal robes, it's fabrics different shades of red, gold, and black. She hated formal wear, and only dressed up for the most important meetings. This one was one of the most important of her life. She had just turned eighteen a few days ago, and was now old enough to assume the throne, if her father was ready to step down. During the meeting, her, her father, and her sister would discuss their plans for the Firenation's future, and her father would decide if he was ready to allow his daughter to take over. The pressure she felt almost overwhelmed her. I might be about to become Firelord, she thought.

"I'm finished, mistress," the maid said, breaking Eona from her thoughts.

"Thank you, Faia. Your dismissed for the day," Eona said softly, glancing at her maid's reflection next to hers in the mirror.

"Will you be needing me later?" the older woman asked.

"No. I'll be fine," Eona replied.

"Thank you, mistress." Faia bowed deeply, her hands together in front of her, one straight, the other a tight fist barely touching her wrist. Then she straightened and slipped out of the room, leaving Eona alone with her reflection. She stared for a few minutes more, wanting to remember this moment. This could just very well be the last time she saw herself as Princess Eona. She couldn't help but wonder if she would look different with the crown of the Firelord on her head; she wondered if the weight of a whole nation's safety would show when she looked in the mirror again.

As she left her room, she met up with her twin sister, Kimiko. She was dressed in identical robes, with a slightly smaller crown resting on her head. "Hello Eona. Ready for this?" she asked with a small smile.

Eona could tell her sister was trying to be supportive, but Eona could see the jealousy in her brown eyes. Kimiko was younger than Eona by seconds, and Eona knew her sister felt cheated. It had made their relationship strained, no matter how hard Eona tried to fix it. She had never understood why her sister felt the way she did; despite being crown princess, there was no difference between the two girl's lives. Besides, knowing that you were destined to lead a nation wasn't a good thing to Eona, but a large, complicated responsibility that was just a bit hard to swallow. "Yeah, I guess I'm ready," Eona told her sister, even though she felt far from it.

"Well then, let's not keep father waiting," Kimiko said, interlacing her arm with her sister's, and leading her down the hall. They soon reached their father's throne room, and, pushing back the heavy silk curtains, the twins slipped inside. The room was large and open, lit only by the fire that danced in front of the Firelord. She knew Firelords before had designed the throne room, and it wouldn't change, despite the fact that the man sitting behind those flames had no control over them. It was mostly symbolic now, not a representation of his power as it had been for previous Firelords.

The twins bowed in front of the throne, showing their respect, and then each moved to one of the pillow-seats on the floor. They knelt, turning their gazes to their father. The Firelord rose, and the fire cut out long enough for him to move through them, temporarily plunging the room into darkness. "My daughters," he started. The strain in his voice surprised Eona. He almost seemed on the verge of an angry outburst, which didn't seem to fit the situation at all. "Today… should have been a great day. Today should have been the day that Eona took the throne, guiding our people as I have for so many years. I was completely ready to hand the crown over, because I am tired, and ready to retire, but something has come to my attention that may… prevent my retirement."

Eona's eyes narrowed in confusion, and she turned to stare at the floor, not wanting her father to see it reflecting in her golden eyes. Nervousness churned through her, making her clutch at the silk layers of her robes. What is he getting at? She wondered.

"Eona," her father said, asking for her attention.

She glanced up. "Yes father?" she asked politely.

He met her gaze, something that he rarely did. "What were you doing last night in the abandoned courtyard?" he asked. She could sense the threat in his words, like she had many times before. He was daring her to lie to him, as if he already knew the answer to his question.

Her heart raced, and she suddenly had a hard time breathing, but she didn't let it show. She bowed her head lower, wondering just what her father knew. "Father I…" she started, but he cut her off.

"Were you firebending?" he asked, his tone sharp. "Are you a bender?" He paused, moving closer to her. "Look at me girl," he ordered.

She looked up to him, sure the fear she felt was reflected in her eyes. She swallowed hard, knowing she couldn't remain silent. "I'm not," she said, years of practiced control kicking in to keep her voice steady, but respectful.

"Liar!" he yelled, almost making Eona flinch. She bowed lower than ever before, her hands and forehead pressed to the ground. "I saw you. I watched your little display last night. Your mother taught you, didn't she?" Eona's silence must have been answer enough, because he then said, "She ruined you. You could have been one of the greatest Firelords yet, but she ruined all of that, by teaching you to bend."

He paused, backing away, seeming to take a moment to gather himself. Eona stayed bent over, her face close to the ground, not daring to move, or even breathe. Could have? She thought, her mind racing. Does he plan to remove my birthright? As if he could hear her thoughts, her father said, "I can't have a bender, especially one taught by that retched woman I married, leading this nation. Therefore, officially now, I remove your birthright, Eona." She swallowed hard, not sure how to feel about that. She glanced up once, to see her father turn on her twin. "You're not a bender too, are you, Kimiko?"

"No, father. I swear on my life," Kimiko replied. Eona knew she was telling the truth.

"Good. You shall be our new Firelord, then. The coronation will be tomorrow. Your dismissed," Kimiko nodded, stood, and left. "Eona. Being your father, I'm feeling merciful towards you. Be grateful. Better men and women than you have died for less. You lied to me, several times. I could have you charged and treated like a traitor, but because you are my blood I will not. You will serve your sister loyally. Go. I don't want to see you again."

"Yes, Firelord," Eona said, barely managing to keep her raging emotions out of her voice. She stood and turned to leave, when she heard her father call out her name again.

"Oh, and Eona, that crown? You better switch with your sister. That's not yours anymore," he said smugly, as if he wasn't talking to his daughter anymore, but an enemy he had just won and couldn't help but rub his victory in.

"Yes, Firelord," she repeated, closing her eyes to prevent the tears she felt coming from escaping. She slipped through the silk curtains again, reaching up to pull the crown off roughly. She hardly felt it yank her hair as it pulled out. She didn't notice the person in front of her either, until she bumped into her. She took a startled step back and then looked up to meet the brown eyes of her sister.

"I'm sorry, Eona," Kimiko said, her words hinting at the contempt she felt. Her words angered Eona, Kimiko's barely hidden triumph the last draw. She couldn't control her emotions anymore.

"Save it, Kimiko. I know you've always wanted my crown," Eona snapped. She pushed the crown at her sister, who barely grabbed it before it fell. "Well, here you go. It's yours now. Have fun with it." She pushed past her sister, but the newly appointed crown princess grabbed her sister's arm.

"Don't talk to me like that. I'm your sister, and soon to be your Firelord. Show some respect," Kimiko demanded.

Well she warmed up to her new position quickly, Eona thought. She whirled on her sister and said, "Oh, I'm sorry, should I have bowed before handing you my future, your highness? Well, you can forget it, because I won't." She then pried her arm from her sister's grip, her superior strength making it easy, spun on her heel, and started back down the hall. She paused, and over her shoulder, she called, "Oh, and by the way, you have to earn my respect, Firelord or not. You've only ever shown me that you're a jealous, power-hungry idiot." With that, she stormed back to her room, not realizing the effect her words would have on her future.

Avani

Just as the sun was nearing the western horizon, Avani rounded a large boulder, and suddenly a town seemed to erupt from the grassy landscape. Sighing with relief, clutching her empty stomach, she picked up her pace, quickly heading into town.

Once there, she began scanning the shops and restaurants, hoping to find something before they all closed for the evening. She was just entering a restaurant, when a man approached her, dressed all in black. He seemed to study her for a minute, his blue eyes taking her in, making her feel wary. "Can I help you?" she asked.

"You just might." He paused a moment, seeming a bit unsure, before continuing. "Don't freak, but I think I know who you are. Is your name Avani Nomura?" he asked carefully.

Avani narrowed her eyes, staring at him. "Who's asking?" she questioned. She had unconsciously slipped into a loose defensive stance, ready to defend herself.

He must have recognized it, because he raised his hands in a sign of compliance, trying to avoid a fight. "Hey, I'm a friend. My names' Arrluk. My father knew your parents. Your father sent us to look for you. I'm here to help," he said hastily.

"How do I know you're not lying?" Avani demanded.

"How am I supposed to prove I knew your father?" Arrluk asked, sounding a bit exasperated. "Look, are you hungry? Let me get you something to eat, and we can talk this over, alright?"

Avani sighed. "I am pretty hungry," she said, relaxing a bit. "Alright, I'll hear you out."

Arrluk flashed a smile, and then said, "Great. Come on." They claimed a table for two, and then quickly ordered. As they waited for their food, Avani couldn't help but study her new companion. He was obviously close in age to her, with very dark brown hair. It was cut short. His skin was tan, and his eyes were dark blue, almost indigo. He looked like he hailed from one of the two poles, and Avani couldn't help but guess the south pole; he didn't look pampered, like some of the North Pole tribesmen she had seen. His build and modest clothing spoke of a humble, hard-working life.

Once their food arrived, Arrluk slowly started explaining. "My father and your father had fought in the war together, and have been close ever since. When your dad stopped answering my dad's letters, he got worried. Me and him went to your house to figure out what happened. He left a message for us, explaining what had happened. He wrote it like he had expected to be caught bending." He paused, noticing Avani was staring very intently at her food, not eating a bite, just pushing it around in the bowl. "You okay hearing this?" he asked gently, as if he had realized just how touchy a topic this might be.

Looking up, Avani forced a smile. She was nothing if not tough. "Of course," she told him. She wanted to know as much as she could about her parent's situation, no matter how hard it hurt to hear it.

"Alright then," Arrluk acknowledged. "On the letter he said that his daughter -you, I assume, was probably wandering around alone, and was hoping someone would find you. He over stressed how important your safety was. You must have a great father."

"He was," Avani said softly, memories of her father almost overwhelming her. Wait, when did I start referring to them in past tense? She thought. They may still be alive. He is a good father, Avani. Not was. Not yet. After a pause, she said, "So, you started looking for me?"

"Yeah. It took us much longer to track you down that we thought it would. My father and I got a bunch of friends of your father and mine and even some relatives together to look for you," Arrluk told her.

"Well, now that you found me, what happens next?" She wouldn't admit it out loud, but she was starting to trust him, despite her better judgment.

"Well, my father would really like to meet you. He says it's important," Arrluk told her.

"Really? Why? I mean, other than doing what my father asked and keeping me safe- which I can do on my own, by the way- why does he want to see me?" Avani asked.

"Well… he thinks… It's kind of crazy, but… my father's a bender, and I'm a bender, so your father told us you were too. Sense learning that, my father thinks you might…" Arrluk said, but then he paused, glancing around, making sure nobody was listening.

"What? What is it?" Avani pressed, her curiosity building.

"He thinks you may be the next avatar," Arrluk said softly.

If she wasn't so shocked, she would have started laughing right then. She leaned back into her chair, trying to take that it. After a minute, she asked, "Really? What makes him think that?"

Arrluk shrugged. "I have no idea. He can be a bit eccentric at times, but he's rarely wrong. He'll be able to explain better when we meet up with him."

"Where is he?" Avani asked.

"The north pole, currently," Arrluk replied. "He asked me to bring you there, once I found you… if you're willing. I'm not going to force you to go. Heck, we just met. It wouldn't really help my cause of being a friend if I forced you to go." With that, he smiled a lopsided grin, making her almost feel like laughing again.

"Well… it beats wandering around here aimlessly…" Avani muttered.

"So you'll come?" Arrluk asked.

"Yeah, I'll come," Avani agreed.

"Well then, we'll leave tomorrow," Arrluk said. "Once you're done, there's an inn nearby, I've already got a room there. You could get a room there for the night, if you want." Avani nodded in agreement. They finished their meal in silence, and then Arrluk paid and they left. She followed him to the in, rented a room, and headed up to it.

Lying awake on the soft bed, she tried desperately to get to sleep, but she was almost too comfortable in the bed after sleeping on the ground for a month, and she couldn't get her mind to quiet long enough to sleep. So much had changed today. Well, it's off to the North Poll then, with a man I hardly know. This should be interesting… and I may be the Avatar. How weird is that?

Author's notes: Here's the first chapter! Enjoy. Just mainly introducing some important characters. Comments/feedback is greatly appreciated! Thanks!