"What do you mean by "It's the better way to get answers ?", Father asked.
Assan looked angry for a moment and then snidely smiled.
"Well let's see, I came to ask The Cursed One what she did with the Scepter of Aquarion," he said, "Oh, and I also came with news of the Rogue Bender that is out of control along our borders".
Father's expression went from angry to confused in a second. From what I could tell though, there was still a bulging vein on his forehead that was red. You see, when we fire benders feel threatened or get angry, our bodies sort of heat up in an effort to tell the threat that we are dangerous and don't want to be bothered. It is something that just happened in the evolution, and sadly, we are stuck with it. On the other hand, water benders go as cold as ice, earth benders become a statue, wind benders sort of just fly away, and lightning benders produce static electricity in the atmosphere around them. All of us have some weird evolutionary problem, and we are all stuck with it.
"Okay let's deal with this one problem at a time", Father said. "What is the Rogue Bender up to ?".
Assan looked taken aback. It was almost as if he had expected Father to argue about the Scepter of Aquarion first. "The bender is pillaging our villages, and we fear that he might come to the Fire Kingdom next", he answered.
"He is a fire bender though," I said, cutting into the conversation. "Shouldn't you be able to take him out yourselves".
Assan took a look at me and frowned. "Of course if it were any normal fire bender it would be as simple as throwing water onto an open flame and snuffing it out", he glowered.
"However this one was different", Assan said. "He had as much power as any fire lord".
I glanced over at father who seemed to be taking this all in and pondering whether or not if he should trust the rival lord. I also couldn't help but notice that up on the balcony, mother was staring down Assan as he sat on his horse with a smug little smirk on his face. I bit my tongue and squeezed my eyes shut, for it was all that I could do to prevent myself from screaming out a battle cry and killing my uncle that was before me. It was as simple as a chicken that couldn't fly. I just simply loathed the man with a force so powerful that even the gods could feel it oozing off of me.
Father looked from Assan to the benders behind him to me and then back again. He even stole a glance up at my mother before returning to Assan's piercing eyes. Father sighed and then reluctantly walked forwards and grabbed Assan's hand, shook it, and then returned to the front of the fire bender lines. I glanced distrustfully at Assan before tapping the reigns with my foot and propelling my horse, stormfire, into a trot. As I travelled in between my father and Assan, I couldn't help but notice the scar that ran down the side of Assan's face. "Probably got that while fighting someone," I thought to myself.
"Adena ?", father asked.
"Yes Father ?", I said, his voice sending me back to reality.
"You will show Water Lord Assan to the guest wing and to his room."
I sighed, for there was not getting around my father's orders. At least if you didn't want to be burnt to a crisp.
"I understand father", I said, looking over at Assan. The Water Lord looked at me and smiled, his scar getting crinkled up in the lines of his face.
Why my father was having me show the repugnant Water Lord around was beyond me. But I knew one thing for sure, Assan was not going to stop at trying to ask me where the scepter of Aquarion was. It would get to the point where I couldn't stand it any longer and I would be forced to reveal that I did not in fact know where it was, but my mother did. If I did that though, the fire nation and all the other nations of benders would be in trouble from the clutches of the greedy Assan.
To be completely honest, I wasn't really even sure that I was even a true fire bender. Was I meant to have water powers like my father ? Aquarion was the true lord of water. But instead, after I was born he was murdered by his brother Assan and my mother was banished from the Water Nation, forever.
By the time we reached the main gate of the palace, Assan had looked away from me and was gazing at the fire nation palace as if it were eye candy. I shunned his wandering eyes as they found mine, which happened to be staring at them. I came to a stop and was helped off my horse by a guard who I knew from training exercises with my sword and mace when I was about ten years old. I turned to Assan and forced myself to smile.
"Welcome Water Lord Assan", I said, "On behalf of the royal family, I welcome you the fire nation capital.
As I showed Assan the hallways and corridors of the castle, he seemed to take less and less notice on the things I was showing him and focusing on me instead. Naturally aware of my surroundings at all times, I couldn't help but notice the feeling of Assan's eyes that were trying to bore a hole in the back of my head. Assan was paying an uncomfortable amount of attention to me, and I didn't like it. As we turned around the corner in the corridor I came to a standstill outside Assan's room.
"This will be your room for the time that you will be staying here. I hope you enjoy your stay", I stated unwillfully.
I turned around to face Assan and came face to face with his wicked smile. "I thank you for your hospitality", Assan thanked me. "F-fire Princess".
I noticed that he struggled to complete the last part of the sentence. For a guest of the Royal Family not to call a member of the Royal Family by their appropriate title was a crime in the Fire Nation. I smirked at the reluctant Water Lord that stood before me. In a flash he had gone from the smirking and sneering Water Lord to the reluctant and shameful Water Lord. It seemed nice not to be insulted by my uncle for once in my life.
Assan had disappeared into his chambers and I was free from his tyranny until dinner. I had gone to my room and changed and was now travelling down the corridors and to the west wing where the underground training rooms sat. It was time for me to get a hold on these so called new powers that the mysterious ghost of my father said I had now. I approached the west wing doors and came face to face with Demetria. The Earth Bender was sitting outside the doors the west wing with a angry look on her face.
"Demetria, what's wrong ?", I greeted.
She turned her head to me and smiled, the anger gone. "There's water nation guards in there training", she complained. "No one is allowed in that isn't from the water nation cavalry".
I looked at the fire nation guards and water nation guards who stood in front of the doors. The didn't seem to see me there until I approached them, however. I stood in front of them and the fire nation guards bowed their heads to me. However, the water nation guards just stood there, waiting for me to walk away as if there was a problem.
"Now I know that my father was banished from the water nation, but surely you still know that I am related by blood to the Water Lord. ?", I asked. The water nation guards stared at me and then looked at one another. I took this as a chance to speak to the fire nation guards who were still bowing.
"Soldiers, at ease", I commanded. The soldiers stood up one by one and went back to their proud looking halt stance.
"Soldier", I remarked, looking at the man in front of me. He looked down and then back up and past me.
"Yes, your highness ?", he asked.
"What is your name ?", I asked. "And please, lose the formality".
"M-my name is Cerioth your highness!!", the guard introduced himself. I watched as a droplet of sweat travelled down the guards nose and dropped to the floor. 877Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8YIMLUCJDb
"Do you not agree Cerioth that the princess of the fire nation deserves to be able to train ?", I asked. "Not to mention that the fire princess is also related to the Water Lord Himself".
"Yes, your highness. It is only fitting that the fire nation princess be allowed to train with her fire abilities!!!", Cerioth said. 877Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0AO12O3Rpd
The Water Nation guards were now starting to glance behind me as well. I sighed and turned to Demetria who had a distinct look of disgust on her face. She also happened to be looking behind me. I then turned to the other guards and saw that they too were looking at something or someone behind me. And based upon the look of disgust on Demetria's face, it was Assan.
I sighed and turned around to face my uncle who was standing there in the Water Nation training uniform. "What is it this time Uncle ?", I complained.
"If you want to train then why didn't you just ask ?", Assan asked.
I sneered and he just rolled his eyes at me.
"Water Nation cavalry guards", Assan ordered, "Move aside for the Water Lord and Fire Nation Princess". 877Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxBtBANgsf
As the Water Nation guards went back to their posts and the Fire Nation guards used their bending to open the door, Assan approached me.
"Now my little cursed niece", he sneered. "Let's go have some fun...."
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