(A/R: Well… here's the next chap.)

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Lightning

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When I made my way back to the palace, it was after midnight.

The lawn was swarming with guards. Many claiming they'd seen a bender at the creak.

Others said a water bender would never get past them in the palace. So finally, after many arguments, they decided it had to have been the moon spirit herself, coming down to have a little fun.

I managed to slip past them, into the kitchen. Where the cook was cleaning up. There were still guest in the ballroom, but they were being bid farewell.

I snuck back to my room, slipping in and closing the door.

"It was you!" a familiar voice hissed from behind. I swung around, raising a finger to my lips to quiet Kai.

"Joy," she quieted down, sitting down on he bed across from me. "You can't waterbend around here. Do you know what they'd do to you if they found out?" she questioned angrily, watching as I quickly undressed. I laid the outfit down on the bed, taking a deep breathe and water bending the water out.

"Joy!" she snapped.

"Don't you think they'll find it a little suspicious when I walk back out with a soaked dress?" I questioned. "This is the last time, I promise."

"But what about when we go wash our clothes? Will that be the last time too?"

"I-"

"I told myself I would watch over you." Kai sighed, placing her face in her hands and shaking her head. "But I can't when you're getting yourself in danger Joy. I can't."

She stood and left. Left me to get dressed again and return to the main hall.

I helped to clean up, which took at least three hours, then went to bed.

It was almost dawn before I fell asleep, so I only received an hour or two before I was awoken by the pounding of fists upon our door.

I jumped to my feet just as Jai-Lee fell out of bed, almost on top of me.

The guards who entered our room were the same one who spoke about the moon spirit last nigh. I recognized their faces. I kept my head bowed, just in case.

"The Fire Lord summons you." one of them said. I thought they'd just take me, but it turns out the Fire Lord didn't know exactly who the girl at the creak was, because they took my other two room mates too.

The brought us along the halls just as the sun was rising. Light poured in through the windows.

When we entered the throne room, I was surprised to find all the woman here. Every single one it seemed.

There were at least thirty of us in all. Each separated into groups.

The guards had obviously determined who were not water tribe, because Lynn was sent off to one group of pale skinned woman, and I to the group of water tribe woman, who all wore downcast faces.

Rai-Lee was undecided, so she was put in my group.

A couple minuets later, the Fire Lord came into the room, fallowed by the prince and his brother.

Lady Suza was not present though.

In all the time that I'd been here, I'd never once heard the Fire Lord's name. he was always address and either 'Fire Lord' or just 'Majesty'. But I heard it.

Once of the guards murmured his name. Saku. Fire Lord Saku.

It didn't seem fitting… it wasn't a powerful name. was that why he always went by just as Fire Lord?

With a wave us his hand, the woman began to line up. Well… the woman of my group at least.

"It seems," he said in a loud voice. "We had a visitor last night. The moon spirit they said, was water bending down at the bathing creak."

A ripples of whispers ran through my group. I caught Kai's eyes and she gave me a fearful look.

I tore my eyes away from her, resting them on the approaching Fire Lord.

"All woman who've been here longer then a year, step forward." he ordered.

The did so.

"All woman who will be here a year in the next month, step forward." more stepped forward.

All that were left were the group that I'd been brought with, and a few others.

He ordered the other woman to the side and examined us.

"I, unfortunately for you, am not a believing man. Unless I saw the moon spirit myself. I don't believe she was ever there. Which leads to this, one of you," he turned, starting back down the line. "Is a waterbender."

He stopped before a girl not much older from me, two people down.

"When did you come here?" he asked.

She quietly murmured her answer.

"Where did you come from?" he asked with a roll of his eyes, obviously not getting any information from her.

"The… earth kingdom, your majesty. My mother was from the south pole."

He went to the next woman, collecting information from her as well.

When he came to me, he eyes me carefully, causing me to grow red with embarrassment and fear.

"Well?"

"I…" I took in a deep breath, straightening up. "I'm from the North Pole, your majesty."

"Ah…" he smirked. "I see. From the most recent raid I assume?" he raised a brow, daring me to say something he wished me not to.

"Yes, your majesty." I replied calmly.

"It must have been tragic," he turned around, facing his though and taking a step toward hi. "Losing your home like that."

I bit my lower lip.

"Of course, it was no surprise to anyone that we'd win." he turned around to face me. "Your kind are just… to weak." he smiled, showing sharp white teeth.

I felt my fists ball up, my face go red. My kind was not weak.

The next the he did was surprising. He raised his hand and servants bustled in, carrying three buckets of water.

They set them before the group of woman, then turned and left.

"I will allow the water bender to surrender." he said.

What did he need the water for then?

None of us did anything.

"Hm?" he looked over us with a smirk. "Alright then." he went over to the group of woman who weren't water tribe. They cowered away from him, but they only met the wall and some guards.

More guards swarmed around them, raising their fists and getting into a stance.

It took me the longest time to realize what they were doing.

"If the water bender doesn't step forward." Saku growled, loud enough for us to hear. "They all die." he also raised his fist toward them.

Cries arose from the group of woman, along with some in my line.

We all stepped toward them, but the Fire Lord raised a hand toward us. "Don't come any closer."

The sight of the woman brought back so many memories I'd forgotten. Ones from home. My home. Gone. My family. Gone.

My brother was dead, my parents were dead. I was hundreds of miles away from home. Hundreds of miles away from friends.

I felt tears form in my eyes, threatening to spill down my cheeks. With a soft sob, I raised my hand slightly toward the buckets. Water flew from all three, flying for the Fire Lord.

Before anyone could do anything. Before the guards could warn him, or the prince.

The water crashed into the Fire Lord.

He flew back a few feet, sliding across the floor to the opposite wall.

Servants rushed over to him, but he shoved them away, angrily getting to his feet.

He started toward us, pure hatred spread across his face. "Who did it!?" he yelled.

No one answered. I shrank back.

His eyes fell on me. He strode forward, fists balled and steam coming from them.

When he reached me, he grabbed my arm, pulling me out of line. His hand burned on my skin, making large red blotches to occur. I screamed.

"No!" someone yelled further down. "It's me! I did it! Not the girl."

I was released and I fell to the floor. When I looked up through my tears, I saw Kai standing a little ways down. Head high.

"I was the one at the creak last night. I'm the water bender."

I looked up to the Fire Lord. He was smiling.

In the instant his had began to rise up, I pushed off the floor, leaping toward him.

Blue fire shot from his hand. No… lightning. My eyes widened as I came inches from it.

The next thing I knew, I was lying on the ground. The fire lord was next to me, down on the floor as well.

This time, men rushed over and helped him up. I pushed to my knees, slowly turning my head.

Not but ten feet down. Where he'd thrown his lightning bolt. Where a woman had been standing. Lay Kai, lifeless and pale in a heap on the floor.

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