A Match of Ice and Fire

Chapter 2: Kaya

My name is Princess Kaya Arnook of the Northern Watertribe, and I will drown in icy waters before I ever marry the Firelord.

Today is the day, after three angonsing months of negotiations (none of which I had any say in) Firelord Zuko arrives to take my hand in marriage.Subsequently, today is also the day i escape.

The street spirals into chaos around me as I flee through my tribes upper ring, pursed by the entirety of chief Arnooks warriors. So much for a sleathy getaway...

I reach the staircase, which links the palace to the rest of the ice city. Drawing the rail down with my waterbending, I skate over it without losing a second's momentum. The next moment, I'm back running agian, my uncles imbiciles piling down the stairs behind. Purely to add to the carnage, I throw up an ice sheet, which my uncles warriors all collide with in extremely comic fashion. I watch the scene play out over my shoulder in  hysterics as i sprint for the docks.

In hindsight, I probably should have been looking where I was going because then I would have seen the second battalion blocking my way sooner. "Princess Kaya!" Captain Hallah orders haughtly, "cease this disobedience at once!"

I igorn Hallah of course, but in my surprise, i slip on the frozen cobbled stones. Managing to scrape back my balance, banking hard right, I'm forced to bend the street up in order to make the corner, looks like I'll have to take a detour...

No matter, so long as I make it to the docks, I'm free. From there, I can steal a cancoe and goodbye evil firelord fiancee!

It's turning out to be easier than thought than done. Chieft Arnooks men close in from all sides. I take them out  efficencently enough but as soon as I remove one warrior, five more arrive to take their place. I keep skating down the narrowing passages over bridges and canal. However, even with my speed ever accelerating my uncles men are gaining, and I'm running out of places to run. In desperation, I shoot my power back freezing twenty of them in their tracks, but that won't hold them for long. As I hurtle across a bridge I know leads to a dead end. I search desperately for a way out. Any way out... I can't let them corner me. I'll be captured, taken to Firelord Zuko, thrown at his mercy. My fate will be sealed forever, doomed to live out my worst nightmare. Married to the king of fire-breathers. Please, I pray, if there are spirits on my side for once, help me... I can't marry the Firelord.

That's when I see it. My way out. I screech to a halt at the bridges creast, staring down at it; the drains. Just above the water line, the city's tunnel system flows directly past the docks and out through the city wall. My salvation.

I don't think. I act. Kicking off my boots and throwing off my furs, I climb over the ballestrades. And before anyone can see me, i dive head first into the icy
waters...