Chapter 5

As I picked her up into my arms, I knew it was too far to carry her back in time before the storm came and also I couldn't swim through freezing canal water, let alone firebend her warm after.

And she wasn't waking up. Typical.

Leave me stranded with a young woman I haven't met before, but I had a feeling I met her before.

Honestly.

I tried hard not to roll my eyes, but this situation wasn't getting better, as it started to snow. Great...

I looked down at this girl in my arms and gently carried her to where a doorway to the left of the alter lay hidden.

As I walked down the corridor I was amazed that all the carvings on the wall where still continuing. The figures must mean something.

They seem familiar, as if I was there...

As I continued walking further into the -of sorts- labyrinth, the girl in my arms moved in her sleep and clung onto my grey-wolf coat.

It felt strange.

I feel like I've known her before, but holding her, it felt like I hadn't done that before.

Maybe it is because I've never carried anyone-apart from Azula as a child- , never let alone any young woman.

I shook my head smirking. Concentrate Zuko.

As I came to the end of the long corridor, it parted two ways, left down some stairs -that looked darker than through the ice passage way- and on the right another corridor.

I chose right, and soon enough I came to an in-cove.

I lay her down carefully, noting that she looked frozen.

I had no choice but to firebend to make a fire.

But burning on what?

As I left the young maiden sleeping, carefully draping my coat over her to keep warm.

I looked further down the passage-way, but when I found no sign of dried seaweed or any sort of firewood. I went back to where there were some steps leading down into darkness.

I light up fireball holding it the palm in my hand.

It felt strange to use some much firebending in one day.

At the bottom of the stairs, was a massive room half-filled with tombs.

I suddenly felt a lot colder than before, mainly because the tombs were encased with ice.

As I passed-what looked to be the most recent tomb, I saw the Water Tribes old language. That was carved into the ice; the only word I could make out was Kara.

Before moving on, I saw some more figure carvings.

It showed a woman meeting a man, and some sort of ceremony taking place, then what look a bit later was a pregnant woman laughing. Then a birth then took place later.

I skimmed through most of the story, as what appeared another child was born.

When what appeared an avalanche fell on a group of people –the woman included.

The story ended where the daughter and brother were crying as their father-who was crying too -held them, before handing a necklace to the daughter-which she later wore.

Even though they were carved into set ice and didn't use colours as the blue ice provided a colour. The necklace that the father handed to the girl was painted red.

I continued fascinated that each tomb had a story of their life, most happily dying in their sleep.

But I started to notice a pattern.

There was a red necklace given from mother to daughter.

When I came to the last which was the oldest, reminded slightly of the first.

The story started where a mother was killed by a firenation solider. But instead of the red necklace a blue necklace was handed down at the mother's death.

She then found a boy from the iceberg with her brother.

I started to notice a resemblance, but couldn't-

I then heard footsteps coming down the stairs. I hurriedly put out my fire torch, before securing my mask.

I then stealthily made my way towards the stair-well.

To find the young woman, huddled in my coat looking around for something or someone...

She waited as she shivered in the dark; I walked silently before coming face-to-face with her.

I smiled behind the mask as she didn't notice in the dark I was standing a breath away from her.

I cleared my throat. To make her make her aware of me.

But I didn't expect quite what happened next.

AN: Quite happy with chapter, as it covers the back ground quite well. Sorry if it's a bit boring this chapter. I've just got quite a complex plot coming up in this story so I wanted to lay proper ground work. Anyway, hope you enjoyed it. :)

Zutara1267: Thanks so much for reviewing again. I'm glad you like the difference in how they met. :) Hope you like this chapter. xx

BendingDreams: Thanks so much for you're review. I like you're name. About the necklaces... All I can say, is it's a crucial point in the story, so keep looking out for them :) x

Kataang4eve: Thanks so much for reviewing, it means a lot that people review, so thanks. :) x

So I hope you all liked it and if you do, please review, favorite or follow. Thanks. :) xx