The White Assassin

Ch. 3 - True Friends

Its been a while since I started traveling with the avatar. Although I have been teaching him the ways of air bending, he hasn't been keeping up recently. He always looks dazed when we have our lessons and I'm starting to become concerned. It was early in the morning, the sun had just started to rise. The trees were swaying with a summer's breeze and the grass still had dew on the blades. This was my favorite time of the day, no one was awake and I could watch the sunrise all by myself. It was what I use to do when I felt lonely back on the mountain with the nomads. Although they never even knew I existed some even started a myth about me. "Wind Seeker", a creature that was said to control the morning breezes and the wind during storms. As a child I had trouble controlling the wind, so being the cause for the morning breeze and the wind of storms doesn't surprise me. If that's what they believed who am I to stop them? I sometimes miss the way I would watch their classes. The smiles on the students after they had mastered an ability was the greatest treasure anyone could ask for. I wondered from time to time if they would accept me if I ever tried to come into their civilization. Its a good thing I didn't, for if I did, I may have gotten too attached to them.

Back when I lived in the Earth kingdom, my parents wanted me to be a civilized and proper young lady. They would dress me up in expensive gowns and hold parties to find a suitable husband for me. I had more fun playing around in the mud and running through the forest. When they had said that they arranged my marriage I ran away. Although I was skeptical on if I should've done it or not I did. I knew that I wouldn't be happy married to some stranger, my life was meant to be taken by the world.

I looked towards the now bright blue sky. The sun had fully rose and I was sitting on a tree branch glancing at the sky. Sure there were no stars to count, and no moon to gaze at, but there was the breeze. It felt amazing and smelled like home. Home I thought. I looked down saddened, I wonder if my parents are looking for me. Better yet, I wonder if they even care that I've left. I shook my thoughts out of my head. I left, that's that! I can't go back, no! I jumped off the tree branch and made it back over to the camp. Everyone was still sleeping in their tents, I was the only one awake. I decided to go get some firewood and get food.

An hour later I had found a good amount of firewood and I had shot a couple of rabbits. Though I didn't like killing animals I had no choice. I cooked the meat and the group finally started to wake up. "What smells good?" Sokka asked. His head popped out of his tent looking sleepy and tired.

"I made breakfast." I stated and continued to cook the meat. Although we've ben traveling for months, they still know almost nothing about me; not even my name or age. I want to keep that hidden, I know that if my name gets out, they'll definitely know who I am.

"Smells amazing! Thanks, White!" Toph said. Since they never knew my name they gave me nicknames like wind, breeze or white. I didn't mind it, I actually kind of felt like I had a connection with these travelers.

We ate our breakfast and started to clean up. "Hey breeze." I turned around and saw Aang looking at me.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Can you tell us about yourself?" He asked. Oh no.

"Um, you see I don't like to give out my identity. It just makes my life harder." I responded.

"Why can't we know?" Katara asked. "We've been traveling together for a while now and it seems like you haven't wanted to get close to us at all. Why's that?"

"I just don't wish to tell you." I stated. "Now, we'll never get anywhere if we don't start packing." I turned around to start heading in the direction of the tents when a hand was placed on my shoulder. I looked down to see Toph giving her usual glare.

"Come on. What's so bad about your identity?" She asked me. I sighed, 'I guess I couldn't keep it in forever.'

"Why don't you all sit down." I said and they awaited for my story. "Please don't forget this and you better listen because I will only say this once!" I stated and they all nodded their heads. "My name is Hale Bumi (B-oo-me)." Once my name escaped my lips everyone except for Aang looked at me shocked.

"You're the Earth Kingdom Princess that ran away?!" Toph and Katara yelled at the same time. I nodded my head. "Why did you run away?" Toph asked me.

"My parents were set on me getting married and delivering children. I was only ten when they decided this, so I made the choice to run away and find my own path." I said. "Although I became more of a hero then anything, I was happy."

"Why would you keep your identity a secret?" Sokka asked.

"I was scared that if you knew who I was, you would turn me back into the Earth Kingdom. I don't want to go back! I like it here, I like being with you guys. I'm sorry that I kept it secret for so long, I never meant to cause issues!" I said. I had tears forming in my eyes, then a hand reached out an grabbed my shoulder. I looked up to see Aang giving me a kind smile, my face heated up at his action.

"No matter if you're a princess, a criminal, or a slave. I will accept you for not your status, but for who you are on the inside." He said. I widened my eyes in shock. I started to feel a sensation of nervousness and shyness in the pit of my stomach. What am I feeling? I smiled back at Aang and the rest of the group smiled back.

"Thank you, I didn't think you all wo-" I was cut off by a voice behind me.

"We found him!" Someone shouted. I turned around quickly and stood up in a fighting stance. Five Fire Nation soldiers were all standing there. A couple minutes later another walked out, he had a giant scar on his face and a high black ponytail. The scar looked to be caused by a flame. It was dark red around his eye and than a lighter red heading towards his ear.

"Good job men, now get me the avatar!" He shouted.

"Oh no you don't!" I yelled. I covered Aang protectively and he gasped. "If you want him, you're going to have to go through me!" I shouted. I gave a strong glare towards the scarred man and he just chuckled.

"Stand down." He said. His men looked at him confused and he slowly walked towards me. "What do we have here? A poor soul who has been fighting for the wrong side?" He stated and I growled at him. "Hand over the air bender, or you will regret it." I stood silent not moving from my position. He took my body posture as a 'no' and walked back towards his men. "Let this be a reminder to all of you." He brought two fingers up towards the sky and summoned lightning. He's a lightning user? I thought. "This is the reason you never disobey the fire nation!" He yelled. He pointed his two fingers at me and the lightning came at me. I turned around and pushed Aang away towards Toph so he wouldn't get hit. I saw her create a barricade of dirt and they hid behind it. I felt the electricity getting closer and closer, just a little bit longer come on.. It was about a couple inches away from me, Now! I made a shield of lightning, I would've done it sooner but I would rather not give my opponent the advantage of knowing what I can bend with. When the scarred man's lightning bolt hit my shield a cloud of dust was created. I heard shouts of "No!" and "Hale!" get yelled by Aang and his friends. When the dust was still evident, I used my earth bending to hide myself in the ground.

The dust cleared and I was no where to be seen. "Good riddance." The scarred man said. "Let's go men, we don't have all day!" They made their way over to Toph, her earth magic was holding up against other fire benders. She was at her limit and I could tell. I moved to behind the group of soldiers and arose from the dirt. They hadn't sensed my presence so I began to try something new. I put my hands together and focused power into them. Vortexes of wind formed around them and my eyes turned a bright white color. I pushed a huge gust of wind towards the fire nation soldiers, the wind was so strong, it was like a twister. "What?!" I heard the scarred man exclaim and I chuckled. They flew into trees and bushes and were injured pretty badly from my attack.

I felt my eyes go back to normal and the soldiers fled. All except one, the scarred face man was holding himself up with a tree. "Had enough?" I asked. He looked at me wide eyed.

"How are y-you still a-alive?" He asked me. "I shot you with a lightning attack, no one can reflect lightning bending!"

"Except for lightning wielders." I said and smirked. His eyes widened more and he cowered in fear. "I'm not rude enough to attack an injured and weak opponent. Head back to the fire nation, I await the next time we battle." I glared at him and he glared back. He turned around and made his way back through the forest.

"How did you do that?" I turned around to see Toph and the others looking at me stunned. "Zuko never backs down from a fight!" Katara said. Wait..

"Zuko?" I asked. She nodded.

"He's the prince of the Fire Nation." She said. I felt my eyes widen in shock and I was in disbelief. "What's the matter Hale?" Katara ran up to me and supported me with her arms.

"Prince Zuko," I started. "Was the name of the prince I was supposed to marry."