The DragonBorn

9

The air was still and sky was dark all around Zeraphina. Her body was shaking from not only the coldness of the room, but also in a constricting terror. She looked up to see a terrifying shadow. It was that of a tall man that towered over her like a wolf standing over a frightened rabbit in the darkness of night. The only thing that she could see other than the shadow, was something glowing in his hand. It illuminated his pale hand that was clenched into a fist around the metal handle of the glowing object.

"Why are you doing this?" Zeraphina asked, her voice quivering in her fear of the man holding the glowing object, "What have I done to deserve your anger?"

The man stood even more over her, his shadow covering her completely. At that moment, Zeraphina could see his face, that horrifying smirk that always drove so much fear into her heart.

He got closer and closer to Zeraphina before gripping her long red hair in his free fist. He pulled her closer to him and smiled even more wickedly at her.

"You betrayed your nation. You betrayed me by saving him." The man said. He laughed as he took the glowing object, raised it into the air and pressed it on her chest harshly.

Zeraphina could only scream in agonizing pain as the brand was permanently etched into her skin. She could only fall as her hair was sloppily cut by the man's fire down to her chin. It would take years for it to grow back. Zeraphina fell to the floor clutching her chest in pain but careful not to touch the brand as to not irritate it.

"For your punishment, you will accompany him on his quest. You will only return when he captures the Avatar, or when I summon you home." He reached down and grabbed her by the neck, squeezing it so tightly that Zeraphina could hardly breathe.

"Is that understood, DragonBorn?"

Zeraphina could feel the heat from his palm burning her neck. She nodded and he let her fall to the floor yet again.

"I understand... My Lord."

~~~~~

Zeraphina woke up peacefully from her nightmare, something that was rare for her to do. As she sat up in her bed, she could feel the sun rising with the dawn outside the ship's walls, it was time for her wake up anyway.

Slowly she rose from her warm bed and braced the chill of the metal room before getting ready for the day. As she got dressed in her uniform, she almost paused when she raised her hand to take the hooded cloak she was always forced to wear around others.

"Why must I continue to wear this hood and cloak?" She asked herself.

"Because you are afraid." The voice replied, "Hair as red as fire and eyes that see into the souls of others. Many are afraid of the features you have carried since birth. And you are afraid that many will be hurt if they see you in your true light."

Zeraphina chuckled, the voice had always known how she felt about her hair and eyes. Truly she adored her beautiful red hair and her strangely colored eyes, but she did indeed fear the dangers that they could bring. After all, because of her hair and eyes, she was regarded as a jewel to the Fire Nation, and was taken from her family because of those features and the title they brought to her.

Zeraphina tied her hair up into a braid and twirled it into a bun before putting on her cloak and hood and walking out of her room to go to the deck. As soon as she got to the deck's edge, she smiled enjoying the sun rising over the calm waters.

"You're up early as usual." A voice said behind her. She turned and smiled even brighter upon seeing Zuko walking up behind her, still wearing his evening clothes from the previous night.