Katara the Firebender

Katara the Fire-bender

I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender characters

In the depths of the Fire nation Kingdom a princess is born. At birth she was the picture of Fire Nation nobility. They named her Katara, a piece offering, made to the Water Tribes. The only notable Fire Nation trait was her dark hair and golden eyes. She was scorned by her father from birth, and soon by her younger brother, Roku. Roku was the Crown Jewel and born to be Fire Lord with his dark strait hair, porcelain skin, golden eyes, and manipulative nature. He the Fire bending Genius, at 11, mastering the blue fire, lightning.

* * *

After an hour of having my hair straightened and pulled into one of those head-ace inducing top knots-favored by the Fire Lord- I came into the garden for some piece with the turtle-ducks just to find my 11 year old brother showing off the new firebending move I still was having trouble mastering. Just my luck, his to Cronies were with him. Son's of 'Nobles', a bunch of ass kissers if you ask me.

I remember my mother bringing me to this pond all the time when I was younger. I held a calm satisfaction that the turtle-ducks didn't like Roku one bit.

Before I was able to sit down I herd an unnatural rustling in the trees. Automatically, I reacted to the sound with action. Pulling out My Bow and Arrow I aimed and fired. 4 seconds, my own personal record. A girl appeared in the tree hanging upside down clad in pink. While one clad in Firenation Blood red and black appeared from behind the tree, may I say looking as bored as usual. Ty Lee had a thin scratch on her cheek which slowly began to bleed. Mai was unscathed.

"Awwww, Katara you missed." Mai sighed in her sarcastic humor. Ty Lee just stuck out her tongue and flipped gracefully from the tree.

"Kataaaaara. You scratched my cute face. Fix it." She said in her gimme what I want voice, like she expected me to say yes.

"Ty Lee, you know I'm not supposed to use it...Father will kill me." She just pouted, and stared at me unblinkingly with her big eyes. It took me a whole 6 seconds to give up and just give in.

When I was born I was gifted with the power of Healing. Not with water like a water bender but with my own heat energy. I just had to concentrate and send my chi into my hands. It would then begin to glow this color that was a mix of purples, reds, blues, and orange.

I put my palm to the left side of her face and when I pulled my hand away there was no scratch or scar, only a remnant of blood. To my dismay I had forgotten my brother . It was never a good idea to forget when Roku was around. He liked causing me trouble the most. I figured he was behind me because I felt Ty Lee and Mai become extremely tense.

"You really should watch when and where you use that 'thing'. Never know when dad might catch you. Freak." He said that 'thing' like it was the dung on the bottom of your favorite shoe. He and his cronies shoved pass me earning a glare from Ty Lee and Mai. I never expected Mai to attack, but at some point between our conversation and the healing Mai had put one of the turtle-ducks inside Roku's pants. He started hitting the back of his pants and jumping up and down. The scene was priceless. I just couldn't hold in the fit of giggles that threatened to erupt from my lips.

I then became aware of knowing eyes. Slowly raising my head and glimpsed my father eying , more like glaring, at me from his study. He motioned me to his office. I looked at Mai and she gave me eyes of sympathy. I just left because any more than that and I would be crying. Tears only made the beatings harder.

Too nice he says. Too trusting he says. Not strong enough. Not ruthless enough. Not Firenation enough Why didn't I aim for her heart he says, though when I said she was my friend I wished I had not said anything. Fire Lashings, they hurt like hell.

* * *

I was unable to leave my room for a week and was only able to heal the wounds that couldn't be concealed behind my summer clothing. Mai was able to sneak in a lot, Ty Lee ended up entertaining the guys because she always got caught. They informed me that my Uncle Iroh would be on his way in another three weeks so I should stop sulking and act like the perfect Firenation princess till he gets here. Or in the words of Ty Lee "No nice stuff." I spent the next week training harder than ever and walking and talking like I had a very rusty metal broom up my butt. Father was proud. I even began bathing in milk to make my skin look lighter. I beat Roku in a fight using my swords twice. I hadn't been glared at once in the last 2 weeks, but if this didn't stop soon I would seriously hurt somebody. How Roku acted this uptight and prideful 24/7 I don't know. Mai says its "natural talent". He herd us talking and thought it was a complement. I almost couldn't hold in the boisterous laughter.

Finally the day came when Uncle Iroh would grace us with his presence. We had a plan, and a plan B. First we would ease it into the conversation. One of us would mention how we were grown up and mature for our age. Then one mentions how we've never really been outside Firenation land, Uncle Iroh would see through it all, and then I would just come out and ask if we could travel with him. If that didn't work I would beg and give him the puppy dog eyes.

Everything went according to plan, everything except him falling for the puppy dog eyes.

"Uncle you have to let us go, I for one am tired of the palace life." I was going to try reason.

"Niece, we all get tired of the palace life, but your time to leave will come soon enough." Uncle teased trying to sound reasonable. He was being fairly reasonable but I wasn't having it.

"Yeah Uncle when they've married me off or I'm dead. When else will I get the chance to see the world." Plan A hadn't worked and plan B was a fluke. I wish I had had a plan C. Dealing with Uncle I might need a plan D E F, and G to. Little did I know Mai had her own plan A. She called it Sabotage and Sympathy.

"Ty Lee, lift her skirt." I didn't know what was going on but it had its affect. I bruise easy, my legs looked less than pretty. I had never seen Uncle so angry, and then it was gone like the wind on a summer day. Uncle said he was a true politician and would talk my father into the idea.

Fire Lord Ozai was all for using his only daughter as an international peace puppet. Hell I was all for it if it got me out of the palace for a five year tour around the remaining three nations.

All three of us had to prove that we were strong enough to be traveling with a band of men. Sadly it was a little too easy to defeat them. 3 of us against 15 of them. I can't say they were weak, because they weren't, we were just better. Ty Lee with her acupuncture, Mai with her being one of the youngest students to graduate from the academy, and me with the best fire bending training money could by and a mother that urged my mastery in swordsmanship and weaponry. No I could not bend blue flame but I was just as good, if not better.


End file.
