Chapter 1 – the reunion Pt. 1

In the great salty sea, an 18-year old girl with long wavy brown hair and big blue eyes was rowing towards a small village on the South Pole. Her movements were sloppy and uncoordinated, making it seem like she had been going on for a whole day, maybe two. The grunts coming out of her mouths confirmed the gist. Her brows were furrowed and glistening from sweat while seawater wetted her clothes. She wore a light blue turtleneck with dark blue fur-coated pants. To keep herself warm, she had put on a fur-coated, brown jacket as well. On top of her head rested a knot, tied with a blue ribbon.

If someone would have seen her, it wouldn't be hard to guess that the girl was from a Water Tribe.

How far until-

Her thoughts were interrupted by a big light over her head, followed directly after by a big explosion. Her scream spread over the surface of the ocean. The light seemed to come from behind the big iceberg that blocked her view. She quickly grabbed her oars and started rowing like she wasn't ready to cover herself with a blanket and fall asleep to never wake up. When the iceberg was finally out of the way, she could see two little figures running down a hill, from a great Fire Nation ship. Since they were far away, she couldn't quite see who they were.

The girl took a deep breath through her nose to calm her heart, still pumping way too fast because of the scare she got from the explosion. But the smell that infiltrated her nose made her hairs on her whole body stand straight up.

The smell of an active Fire Nation ship.

While quickly looking around her for the great metal beast, she made haste to the nearby snowy shore that had come into view. When she reached the bank, she pulled her little wooden boat upon the cold surface and trudged her way through the thick white snow, all the while still anxious for the ship she would no doubt encounter sometime that day.

After what felt like forever, she finally arrived upon a make-shift town border made out of ice and snow. The girl walked around the border until she finally found an entrance, where she found a group of people – and some huge beast with a blue arrow on top of his head, what was that about anyway? – talking to each other – rather heatedly. When coming upon the group, no one noticed her. A girl with brown wavy hair, who seemed to be somewhat younger than herself, was talking.

''Aang didn't do anything! It was an accident,'' she said to a boy with brown hair whose hair was shaved at the sides and a ponytail on top of his head. The boy looked angry.

''Yeah. We were on the ship and there was this booby trap, and, well… we booby-ed right into it,'' another voice came out. The girl let her gaze wander across the group, coming upon a small boy – probably Aang – with a blue arrow on his head that was similar to the one the big beast was wearing. Her eyebrows furrowed, not familiar with the tattoo.

An old woman suddenly spoke up. ''Katara, you shouldn't have gone on that ship! Now we could all be in danger!'' The girl took the brown wavy-haired girl who looked strangely familiar for Katara.

The conversation went on for a while and became boring for the girl to listen to, and she began to study the girl that looked familiar – Katara. The old woman appeared to be her grandmother, and the boy who was especially angry at them was her brother, unnamed for now. After an agreement – so it seemed – the girl decided it was her turn to speak.

She quietly coughed to get someone's attention, and it appeared to be working quite well seeing the whole group suddenly turned to her.

''Who are you?!'' Katara's brother exclaimed. The girl swallowed her nasty comeback – he could really use it – and smiled towards him.

''I am terribly sorry for barging in on you lot like this. My name is Milah. I was sent here by the Northern Water Tribe by-'' Milah was interrupted by a sharp intake of breath. It appeared to be from the older woman, known as the grandmother of Katara.

''It can't be…'' the grandmother whispered, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

''Gran-gran, what's wrong?'' Katara's brother asked. Meanwhile, the grandmother walked towards her, arms stretched towards Milah. Milah awkwardly stood still and gave her a crooked smile.

''This is the oldest daughter of Hakoda and Kya, your parents, Sokka,'' the grandmother said with a trembling voice. At that moment, Katara walked towards the scene, hearing the phrase.

''Sokka? Katara?'' Milah whispered towards her long-lost siblings. Her eyes welled up with tears.

''I can't believe it… you finally came back!'' Katara exclaimed happily, throwing her arms around her older sister. Sokka joined the embrace after a short while, the three of them hugging each other like they would lose each other all over again if someone would let go.

''How could this be? I thought you died that day! I am so happy that you survived! Were you on the North Pole? Did you learn how to Waterbend? How was-'' Milah cut Katara off with a loud laugh.

''If you don't mind, little sister, I would kill for some food! And please, let me sit as well. I'll tell you everything, I promise,'' Milah exclaimed with a laugh. Katara smiled sheepishly, then turned to Sokka.

''You happy now? There goes my one chance at being a Waterbender!'' Katara glared at her 16-year old brother, then took Milah's hand, and stomped towards the village. Sokka took a deep breath, remembering what happened before the big reunion, turned towards the 'warriors', then yelled: ''All right, ready our defences! The Fire Nation could be on our shores any moment now!''

All of the children looked at him with big eyes, not fazed at all. ''But I gotta-'' one started, but got cut off by Sokka.

''And NO potty breaks!'' he yelled.

Meanwhile, in the village, everyone was preparing for an unwanted visit of the Fire Nation. Many people could be seen walking back towards their tents while Sokka was shouting orders. Katara took Milah towards the fire with a big cauldron hanging above it. She grabbed a bowl and started putting some of its contents into it, giving it to Milah once finished. It smelled amazing.

''Thank you so much, I was really starving,'' Milah said kindly. She couldn't believe she was with her own family. She had waited for so long, hoping to be reunited once again.

''How did you escape that night, if I may ask,'' Katara said softly, her eyes anxious for the answer. Milah grimaced, not wanting to think back to that day. An 11-year old Milah was fighting back against the Fire Nation soldiers in her memory, alongside her kin. When taken prisoner after defeat, the Fire Nation ship was attacked by a Northern Water Tribe ship, freeing the prisoners and therefore freeing Milah. Pakku, her grandfather, then taught her how to Waterbend and the arts of healing. When she turned 18, she found it time to return home to her family, to her brother and sister.

''…and that's when I found you. And I couldn't be happier,'' Milah told Katara the story. Katara smiled from ear to ear.

''I thought you were all lost. I'm so happy you've re-'' but Katara was cut off.

BOOOOOOOOM

Milah dropped her bowl of soup because of the scare, turning to discover the big Fire Nation ship she had forgotten all about. Katara had already gone to help her kin. Meanwhile, Sokka was trying to – attack, maybe? – the ship and shouted when the town's border was destroyed by the big metal beast.

The mouth of the ship suddenly made a sound, opening itself. A group of Fire Nation soldiers stood in the entrance. A frightening sight for all.

Out of the entrance came three people, one walking in front of the other two. His head was bald except for a traditional Fire Nation hairpiece where his hair was put in like a ponytail and he looked to be no older than 21. He wore red robes and a scowl on his face. His stride was purposeful and fierce. His muscles bulged underneath his clothes and his two golden eyes burned like smouldering coals. But the most distinctive feature of him was his scar. It covered the left side of his face almost completely as well as his ear, which was crumpled because of the burn. His left eye was more slit than his right as well and it was missing an eyebrow.

Milah was completely terrified. His gaze swept over the entire village, as well as over hers. His look gave her goosebumps all over like he had burned her soul. Her blue eyes became even wider than they already were, making her grasp Katara's arm when he lingered on Milah.

Suddenly, a battle-cry filled the air. Sokka was running towards the scarred man, trying to attack him so he could protect his family. However, Sokka appeared to be no match and was put out of the way almost immediately. When the Fire Nation leader reached the snowy shore, he opened his mouth.

''Where are you hiding him?'' he shouted angrily. Milah's eyebrows furrowed and her lips pursed. Suddenly, he grabbed her grandmother. Milah gasped.

''He'd be about this age, master of all elements?'' he said, sweeping over the crowd with his gaze once again. He pushed gran-gran towards the ground once he had no need for her anymore. Katara and Milah quickly grabbed her and Katara held her in her arms. Milah almost growled towards him.

She took a few steps towards him, attracting his attention. His one eyebrow furrowed, glaring at her. Suddenly, Milah waved her arms in a circle like movement and swept them towards him. He quickly ducked and punched fire towards her. Milah avoided the heat and froze over his legs in one move. Once he realised what she had done, he growled towards her, trying to free himself. Milah smiled triumphantly, looking smug. However, one of his guards didn't like what he had seen and grabbed both of her arms before she could do anything. His other guards quickly freed his boss with one sweep of fire.

''Let me go!'' Milah shouted angrily while being held captive. And then, out of nowhere, the Fire Nation jerk was hit on the head. Milah saw it was Sokka and grinned. A battle began between her brother and the jerk, but Sokka lost his spear.

''Show no fear!'' a village boy exclaimed and tossed Sokka a spear.

''Yeah, go Sokka!'' a few others yelled in encouragement. Milah still tried to yank herself loose, but it was in vain. It only made the guards grab her arms tighter, letting her know that she would have bruises on them tomorrow in the shape of hands.

The battle was still going on when suddenly Aang appeared on a penguin, sliding towards the scene. He slid still in front of the Fire Nation jerk.

''Looking for me?'' Aang asked him angrily, his staff in his hands. Suddenly, the jerk's eyes go big.

''You're the Airbender? You're the Avatar?'' he asked like he didn't believe it himself. Everyone gasped at this revelation.

''Aang?'' Katara asked behind Milah, who was still being held captive.

''No way!'' Sokka exclaimed bewildered.

'' I've spent years preparing for this encounter. Training, meditating. You're just a child!'' the jerk yelled angrily. His eyes seemed to shoot fire. Then, out of nowhere, Aang and the jerk began to fight. But when he attacked the Tribe as well, Aang seemed to have a realisation and stopped fighting the scarred man.

''If I go with you…'' Aang started, looking down. ''Will you promise to leave everyone alone?'' The scarred man seemed to think about this, but nodded eventually. The guards took his staff after having been signalled by the jerk before they led the poor kid through the entrance of the ship, into the lair of the enemy.

Suddenly, Milah's arms were yanked away from the scene. ''No… no wait! Let me go!'' Milah yelled with a trembling voice. ''Please don't take me! Please!'' The scarred man turned towards her.

''Let her go!'' Katara screamed while Sokka tried to attack, once again, in vain.

''She's a Waterbender, which means she is now our prisoner,'' the jerk said with a stern and angry voice.

''Let her go! Or else…'' Aang stood up for her. It brought tears to her eyes.

''Too late! You already agreed to our terms. Or shall I set your Tribe on fire?'' This time he spoke directly to Milah. She quickly shook her head no and sent a message to her siblings to drop the subject. 'It'll be okay', she mouthed, and Katara nodded, understanding her.

Milah then followed the guard who held her obediently. Then once inside, the jerk turned towards his two prisoners.

'' This staff will make an excellent gift for my father, '' he said while inspecting the object. ''I suppose you wouldn't know of fathers, being raised by monks. Take the Avatar to the prison and take this to my quarters,'' he barked to his guards that held the Avatar and passed the staff to an older man with a grey beard. He then turned his gaze to Milah.

''Take her to a different cell than the Avatar. I want to question her later,'' he said with an angry voice. She tried to glare as best as she could at him. The guards hauled her up and steered her towards a different corridor than Aang's. Milah then grimaced, remembering the first time she was in a cell on a Fire Nation ship.

Once arrived, the guards opened a door to a prison cell and threw her in. Milah fell on her knees and grunted in pain. But once she turned around to give an angry look at her guards, it was already too late. They left her in the cell with a single candle on the wall and no windows. She crept towards the corner and propped herself up. A single tear fell.