My Water Tribe Peasant

Chapter 1, The Duel,

"Sokka, dont!" Katara yelled after her elder brother, Sokka, who was running towards the Fire Nation ship that had just attacked their village. The Fire Nation had just shown up unexpectedly at the Southern Water Tribe village. It was Sokka's job as the only warrior there, to protect the women and children. "Sokka don't waste your time! They're just going to capture you!" Katara yelled after her brother once more. Sokka didn't listen. He stopped in his tracks as metal, drawbridge door opened and slowly lowered to their snowy village grounds. Smoke escaped the ship with a fiery smell and the village below Sokka coughed and gagged. Sokka clenched his sword nervously, not knowing what awaited himself and the village. Suddenly, the smoke cleared and Sokka saw three Fire Nation guards march out, and behind them was Prince Zuko of the fire nation himself, along with his uncle, General Iroh. Zuko's eyes squinted as he frowned down on all of the Water Tribe village.

"Peasants..." Zuko mumbled. That's when Sokka's nervous-like stance turned into a strong one. Sokka held up his spear to Zuko's nose.

"What do you guys want?" Sokka said angrily. "Take whatever you want, just don't hurt anyone." Zuko snarled as he was being disrespected and he ripped the spear out of Sokka's grip and broke it in two. Zuko grabbed Sokka by the collar of his coat.

"What am I here for, you ask? Maybe there is no reason. Maybe I just want to wreck this ugly little village for no reason!" He threw Sokka back first onto the snow.

"Sokka!" Katara cried out.

"Stop this at once!" yelled Kanna, Katara and Sokka's grandmother. "Get out of here! We have nothing for you."

"Gran Gran no..." Katara mumbled, shielding her eyes with her mittens.

"Silence!" Zuko yelled and a wave of fire from Zuko's mouth headed towards the village, but thankfully, everyone ducked. "I will take whoever, and whatever I want!" Zuko said with an evil smile.

"No, you won't!" Sokka said getting up from the snow he was thrown in. "You won't be taking anyone!" Sokka grabbed his sword from his side and gripped it tight, Zuko couldn't break that. Zuko's smile got even bigger when he saw that Sokka had a sword.

"You have a sword, huh peasant?" Zuko said slowly walking towards Sokka. Sokka backed up and kept his grip and stance, ready for a fight. The whole village was behind him, waiting in fear for something to happen. Children were crying and women were holding hands with one another. Sokka knew he had to do anything he could to keep the woman and children safe as the only warrior. It would be what his father wanted. He trained Sokka well. It was Sokka's job to keep everyone safe while the men were away. He didn't want anyone else to get hurt by the Fire Nation, like his and Katara's mother...

"I'll do whatever you want, just please, don't hurt anyone." Sokka spoke out as Zuko was observing his sword.

"I'm not going to just take whatever and leave without some sort of blood shedding." Zuko laughed. "Since you have a sword there, I challenge you to a duel!" The whole village gasped behind Sokka, now wide-eyed and terrified.

"Sokka no!" Katara yelled. "You're going to get hurt!"

"Please Sokka, listen to your sister!" Kanna yelled out as well. "He will cut you in two!"

"He can make his own decision!" Zuko snapped and the whole village went quiet once again. Sokka looked up at Zuko.

"If I win this duel, will you just leave?"

"Sure, but if you lose, you'll be my prisoner and only you! I will leave everyone else behind." Sokka heard Katara begging him not to from behind, but Sokka knew what he had to do. For the sake of the village.

"I accept your challenge Prince Zuko." Sokka spoke out proudly. The village gasped in horror.

"Perfect." Zuko said as he whipped out his twin swords. "This is a no bending duel, nothing for you to worry about though, you can't even bend!" Sokka grew angry from Zuko's rude comment and took a full swing at Zuko, but he missed. Zuko laughed hysterically from the miss and Zuko charged at Sokka, both blades swinging in his grip. Sokka dogged Zuko's swords just barely and he slid on his knees to the other side of their little fighting circle. Zuko now grew angry as it seemed to not be as easy to strike Sokka down as he thought. Sokka had pretty good movement overall, but Zuko knew Sokka was'nt that smooth with his moves as he should be.

"Prince Zuko." General Iroh spoke out. "You shouldnt be dueling and wasting your time with this village. They have nothing for you. You should be focused on trying to master more skills of fire bending."

"Be quiet uncle!" Zuko snapped and he continued to swing at Sokka. General Iroh just face palmed in annoyance and kept watching his nephew try to take down the young warrior. Sokka grew more and more nervous and Zuko swung faster and more skills started filling the circle. Sokka was terrified now, his grip was shaky and no longer strong, Sokka knew he was going to be beaten. Zuko took a swift movement around Sokka, causing him to move in the opposite direction and swish Sokka was sliced in the side and knocked down onto the ice and snow. Sokka held his hand over the wound and moaned in pain as the blood spilt through his fingers.

"SOKKA!!!" Katara cried. She tried to run over to him but the three Fire Nation guards that came out before Zuko stopped her. "Sokka no!!!" Katara continued crying out. "Sokka!"

"Don't worry." Zuko said with a snarl, putting his swords away behind him. "He'll be in perfect hands."

Sokka looked up from the snowy ground and saw Zuko standing over him, smiling. Sokka growled and Zuko grabbed him by his coat collar once again. "Take him to the ship!" Zuko ordered and two of the three guards that were guarding Katara's path to Sokka went over to grab him by the arms and they dragged Sokka on board the ship. "Hope you learned something from that Water Tribe peasants! I'll leave you all alone...for now." Zuko, the guards, and General Iroh all walked back on board the ship and the metal drawbridge door slowly went up behind them. Sokka was captured.