A Dancer's Heart

Chapter One: The Mark

"Come on! Hurry up!" Hushed voices were heard from down the hall. A small baby girl's voice was crying softly.
"Lin, can you calm her down please?!" An annoyed woman's voice spoke out over the cries.
"I'm trying. Maybe she isn't happy right now?" The voice of a younger woman spoke out.
"Nonsense. She loves you!" The other woman spoke. Her hair fell over her face before moving it behind her ear. She had dared not move her eyes from the child.
"Not until she is of age. Besides, How do you know?" Lin asked softly while looking into the blue and green eyes of the young baby girl that she was holding. Her heart fluttered at the sight. One blue eye and one green eye. It was uncommon to have different colored eyes. The crying had stopped and cooed softly looking up at the Earthbender. A small mark had flashed upon the girl's wrist. It was a small earth symbol that looked like it was tattooed on her wrist. It matched Lin's perfectly. They say it matches at least one other person in the world and Lin was lucky enough to have found the holder of the mark she carried as well soon as she was born.

"Promise to never leave me?" Lin asked, looking at the small baby with a smile. The girl looked back at Lin and smiled. Letting out a soft cry of laughter. Lin had sat down while holding the child in her arms.
"Does she have a name?" Lin asked while still looking at the girl's eyes.
"Alessia." The older woman spoke softly.
"Beautiful. In every way." Lin spoke softly. The other woman was silently watching with a smile before quickly standing up.

BANG BANG BANG!

"This is the White Lotus! Open up!" A male's voice was shouting while pounding upon the door. The woman in the water tribe clothes opened the door. There stood three men in white robes before walking into the room.
"Where is she?" One of them asked while Lin stood up and held the child close to her chest in a protective way.
"You cannot take her!" The woman shouted while one of the men took the child away from Lin's arms.
"No! Please!" Lin shouted. Her voice sounded full of hurt as the child was pried from her arms. The girl began to wail. Tears streamed her eyes as she saw the two women disappear from her eyesight.

"We have to take her to her father in Ba Sing Se." The man holding the child.
"No! The Queen! If she finds out what Alessia can do, she'll use her!" The woman shouted as she tried to grab the child again.

"Silence woman! I assume you're the mother?" The other guard asked.

"Yes, my name is Senna and that is my younger daughter you are holding!" Senna snapped as she was earthbend to the side by the third guard.
"Who are you?" He asked, looking at the other woman. "What relation do you have with the child?" He was sneering.
"I am Lin Beifong and I have no relations with that child yet." Lin had spoken.
"Ah, Beifong you say? Toph's kid huh? Suppose you're all tough stuff but yet you melt at the sight of the child? Why?" The calmer man spoke.
"I cannot say for the safety of that child and mine." Lin spoke softly while looking away. Her eyes were stinging from tears as she fought them away.
"I'll write to you and keep you updated on her." The man whispered as he knew exactly what she meant.

The three men had turned heels and began to leave. The two women were shouting behind their backs as the girl began wailing again. The walls vibrated softly from them.
"I'll find you! I promise!" Lin's voice shouted against the vibration of the walls as the men disappeared from their sight.

"It'll be okay Lin. She's not gone forever." Senna's voice spoke softly.
"It feels like she already is." Lin whispered as she placed a hand upon her chest. Her heart was hurting. The child was no longer in her arms. How on earth was she going to protect her now?
"I have to head back to the South. My husband will want to know where I went." Senna spoke as she packed up her bag. She gave Lin a hug before she left the younger woman alone. Lin nodded before leaving herself. She had headed back to the Republic City's Police station where her and her mother worked.

"I will find you again." Lin's voice spoke softly.