(A/R: So sorry it took so long, but I must warn you, this chap is the actaul 3rd chap, not the second. I got rid of the prologue in the beginning, so please read that first if you haven't) )

---

Outburst

---

I was confined to scrubbing the floors for the first three days. I started at dawn with the main hall, only getting in a few hours before I was sent away.

I resumed my work on it in the evening, only to finish after midnight. This continued from the throne room, then to the kitchen.

On my fourth day, I was given a new task. Dishes. This lasted for a week.

I hated the place already. I was invisible to everyone but the other maids. I never saw Kai, but on rare occasions of passing in the hall, and I had to sleep on the floor, for the bed was taken away. (for some strange reasons unknown)

"Probably needed down in the infirmary." Lynn said, offering her bed. I declined his quietly and rested myself on the floor.

---

It wasn't until my tenth day I actually saw the Fire Lord. The one I hated. The one I dread and loathed and despised.

He was the cause of my family's death. The cause of it all…

I had been carrying the breakfast dishes to the kitchen, when I bumped into one of the guards.

"You," he ordered, shoving a scroll into my full arms. "I'm in a hurry, deliver this to the Fire Lord immediately."

Before I could object, he turned and left.

I went to the kitchen, set the dishes down. I then asked the cook, whom had been one of the woman aboard the ship with me, what to do.

"You'd better bring it to him." she said without looking at me, continuing to work on lunch. "I wouldn't want to be caught with that in my room."

I turned and left.

I didn't know where the Fire Lord's chamber was.

I asked a passing servant, but he ignored me. I roamed around the palace a bit.

After discovering the prince's study, which was empty, and the ballroom. I found it would be impossibly to locate the Fire Lord.

That was until, of course, I found Kai.

She was in the main hall, which I'd wondered back to, scrubbing the floors.

"Kai." I quickly embraced her, nervously glancing around.

"Joy, what are you doing here? They still need you in the kitchen."

"I have a scroll to take to… someone. Can you show me where the royal bedrooms are?"

She looked from the scroll in my hands, up to my face. "I… I'd better take it."

As much as I wanted her to, I couldn't let her. I wouldn't put her in front of the Fire Lord. If he was as dreadful as I thought, I just couldn't. "No, I will do it." I shook my head.

After a sigh she led me down several small corridors, most only used my maids, through three doors and into a large room.

"This is the Fire Lord's sitting room. The prince's room is to the left, the others to the right."

She gave me one last long look, then turned and left.

I wondered to the center, where a ring of pillows sat. Did they ever have just a family meeting? Or was it all about war? No… that would be in the war room.

I'd only been to the war room once. I never wanted to go again.

It was in middle of a conference, they were serving drinks. The first thing I noticed about the place were the walls, right behind the Fire Lord's throne. It was fire… longs rows of fire, crackling and burning. The heat was to much, I'd quickly set the drinks down and fled out, not even glimpsing the Fire Lord as he came in.

Now, as I stood before the circle of pillows, lost in thought, I almost forgot all about the scroll.

"You!" someone call out. My head shot up and I stared wide eyes at the approaching guard.

He must have just come from the Fire Lord's room. He pointed and accusing finger at me. "What are you doing here?"

"I… I…"

He rolled his eyes, moving his finger to point toward the door. "Out."

"I…I…" I stuttered. "Have a message… for the Fire Lords. No, a scroll." I corrected myself.

The man looked at the parchment I held out, then, with a distasteful grunt, led me back to where he'd just come.

"Be quick, don't look him in the face, he doesn't like that."

Before I could think, I was being pushed into the Fire Lord's chamber. His actual chamber.

He was standing across the room, in front of a mirror. Several maids and servants bustling about. Draping different shades of red garments over him, letting him pick which one. Apparently he had another meeting with the generals today.

Other servants held trays of food, letting him taste each one as he went by.

I slowly started over, keeping my head bent and my eyes to the floor.

"Your… your majesty…" the words were bitter. I hated this man, yet I bowed and lifted the scroll toward him.

"What is it?" he demanded.

I froze. I didn't actually know what it was… "It's… a scroll your majesty."

I thought he'd kick me, or fire bender me to death or something. But he merely sneered several unkind words and swiped the scroll away.

He didn't say another thing to me, so I turned and left. Of course, not without looking up at him first, when he didn't see.

He looked a little like the prince, but older. His chin was more pointed thought, jutting out. Maybe it formed and stayed like that after hours of holding his head high, proudly. I didn't really know, didn't care.

I hated him. Hated him for life. I wanted him dead.

---

The nights grew colder and colder, though it was always hit in day. I was only able to wash my clothes once a week. We, the maids, bathed in a stream down hill, far away from the palace, where only the most mean turtle ducks lived.

My dark brown hair had turned a bit lighter and my tan skin became even darker from all the dirt I collect while cleaning.

We were only given soap when washing for a special occasion. The only time that has happened though, was when the younger prince celebrated his fourth birthday. I though, was stuck in the kitchen.

At least a month passed before I was summoned by the prince. I was shaking as the guards led me toward his chamber.

Inside, I stood as still as possible. The doors shut softly behind me and the guards were gone.

He strode out from his balcony, fallowed by several maids carrying trays of food.

A servant boy, a little younger then me, ran in and offered a foot stool as the prince sat down.

"I remember you." he called out to me, gesturing to me to come forward.

I slowly and clumsily walked over, head bent. When I reached him I bowed and stayed there, kneeling on the floor.

"You may rise." he sounded amused.

I stood back up and waited. When he didn't say anything, I nervously asked: "Is there… something you need your majesty?"

"Were you happy at your home?"

I didn't answer. Was he really asking me that?"

"Well?"

"Yes your majesty. Very happy." I felt a lump form in my throat.

"Do you… have family there?"

I tried to swallow the lump. "Not anymore." I said, just above a whisper. His face seemed to soften a bit.

"What happened?" he sounded curious, in a way that wasn't comforting at all.

What happened? What happened? You happened! You and your kind!

"They died."

"How?"

How?

"Killed."

"By who?" he had his hands in his lap, staring up at me.

"By… by…" I couldn't say it.

"By who?" he repeated.

When I didn't say anything, he stood up. "By who?" he repeated for the final time.

"By you!" I yelled, feeling the tears rush over my face. I stepped back, glaring at him. "You killed them."

For the first time, I wasn't very scared of him. I hated him, without fear. Just hated him.

"You killed them and everyone else. You took the benders away and locked them in a prison. Everything and everyone I care about are gone!"

I fell to my knees, glaring up at him through the blurry tears. "They're dead."

He… was sympathetic. He stared down at me softly, sitting back down. "Guards." he called softly.

I stood up, a sneer on my lips. "You will not… take me too."

Then the guards came and I was gone. Brought away from the prince's chamber and back to my room. Where I collapsed on one of the beds and sobbed.

---