The White Assassin

Ch. 10 - Reunions

We hugged for what seemed like forever. They were warm, not the bad kind of warmth but the comforting kind. They smelled like home and I felt the weight on my shoulders lift up. They released me and stared at me with a hand on my cheek. "Where did you go?" My mother asked me. I looked at her and saw that her eyes were a dull green. When I was a child, they were a lighter green as were my father's. Her eyes were pricked with tears in the corners. Her lips curved into a sweet yet sad smile. "We were worried sick. We spent years looking for you and just assumed that you were dead and gave up." I frowned at her and felt a twinge of guilt in my stomach.

"I'm sorry." I said. My head fell and I stared at the ground trying to not cry. I had never cried in front of my parents, even when I was little. I was always a strong individual both mentally and physically. However, having others see myself cry shows how weak I really am and I don't want that. I clenched my fists and began to shake from the sobs. "I was just afraid. Afraid to grow up, afraid to get married to someone I didn't know. You have to understand, please do not punish me!" I wailed. I heard my father chuckle and I looked up at him with wide eyes. He was smiling at me. Smiling. My father was a man of many expressions but a smile he never wore. He would always give sarcastic smiles but never genuine smiles. This is the first time I had ever seen one and I was never going to forget it.

"We understand that." He said. He put his hand on the side of my arm and looked into my eyes. "Which is why we have decided to let you marry whoever you may choose, rich or poor, prince or commoner. We will be happy with any decision you make, we love you Hale." With his words he smiled again and I cried. I cried so hard that I could flood the Nile River three times. I was so genuinely happy that my parents had thought about what I wanted. Not what was good for the kingdom, but for what was good for their daughter. After a couple of minutes of crying and hugging my father let me go and looked behind me. "So, who are your friends?" He asked. I was so caught up in the moment that I forgot that I had visitors. I turned and saw the group smiling at me.

"Ah yes." I said. I walked towards them and introduced them. "Father, mother, these are my friends. This is Aang, Katara, Sokka and Toph. They've brought me happiness and I hope that you will accept them for who they are." They bowed towards the king and queen and my father raised his hand.

"No formalities please, any friends of Hale are friends of mine." He said to them. They smiled at him as did I. "Now, why don't you tell us why you're back? This calls for a celebration!" He rejoiced.

"No!" I exclaimed. My father stopped and looked at me with a confused look. "You have to keep my stay under lock and key." With my words my father and mother looked at each other then at me. Their eyes showed confusion and puzzlement.

"Why would we do that?" My father asked. "Our princess has returned, it is time to rejoice!"

"You can't!" I raised my voice. My father looked angry and I faded backwards. "You see, I've been living in the woods fighting for other people's justice. I'm known as the White Assassin to the people." I looked to the group and they were nodding their heads. My father had an intrigued look on his face and I took that as a sign to continue. "It's how I met these guys. They were cornered by the Fire Nation and I saved them. Now I'm not exactly on good terms with them since I've also saved an elderly man from being injured in a city outside of the nation's walls. They know who I am and I don't think them finding out that I'm the princess of the Earth Kingdom is a good thing for my people." My father's face stayed the same while my mother's showed an expression of anger.

"So," my mother started. "You're telling me that the Fire Nation wants my daughter's head on a silver platter?"

"They won't if they don't know its me. They only know me as the White Assassin. As long as I stay with that name and not Hale then they'll never know. But that needs to be kept secret, even from the city." I explained. Her face fell and I didn't like it. I didn't like keeping secrets from the kingdom either but it would save them from invasion.

"If you want to stay hidden, why are you here?" My father asked. I looked to the group and Katara stepped up.

"You see Mr. ruler of the Earth Kingdom sir we want to take on the fire lord Ozai and are in need of training." When she stated that my father rolled his eyes. 'Oh no..' I thought. "If that's possible, we would like to-"

"No." My father interrupted.

"But sir.." Katara tried to insist but my father continued.

"You want to tell me that right when I get my daughter back, you want to throw her towards one of the most powerful lords in the world? No thanks." He said. He crossed his arms and walked away. My mother looked at me in sadness and walked towards me.

"I'll talk to him, why don't you bring your friends to the training grounds in the basement? Haron and Pete should be down there practicing." My mother said to me. I nodded and she went towards where my father left.

"Come on. Follow me." I said. They nodded and I led the way towards the basement. The walls were green and the floors was a tan mat that was specifically made for trainings. Two men were sparring in the middle of the mats. One had earth kingdom style clothing on and brownish lace shoes. He had dark brown spiked up in the front and had a tall figure. In contrast, the other man was more muscular and had a brown shirt with white-ish pants. His hair was curly and reddish brown. They were grunting from the impacts from their opponents attacks. Although they were only sparring, they had beads of sweat on their foreheads. I chuckled at them for not only were they my training partners but my childhood friends. We always played hide and seek when I had time and sparred whenever we could. They really have grown since the last time I saw them. When I was last here I was taller then both of them, now from looking at them spar they're towering me. Pete used his muscles to grab Haron and place him on his back. Once he did, Haron went slamming into the floor with a grunt. Pete had pushed him into the floor with a style of martial arts. "Still falling for the same old tricks, Haron?" I said out loud.

"Oh shut up Hale." He said. I chuckled at his stupidity and his eyes went wide. "Hale?!" He exclaimed. I waved to him and he and Pete ran towards me. They embraced me and I fell over with them on top of me.

"Okay okay, get off." I said. They chuckled and got off of me.

"Where have you been, Hale?" Pete asked me.

"Uh.." I looked at the gang who were still in the entry way to the basement. "Long story. What I need is a favor."

"Okay," Haron said. "But why should we help you?"

"What're childhood friends for, right?" I asked chuckling. Haron sighed and Pete laughed. Although they were my best friends, they had different personalities. Haron was a more serious and optimistic character while Pete was a jokester and liked to have fun.

"What do you need?" Haron asked. I smiled and looked back towards the entry way and this time Haron and Pete saw the others. "They're here because..?"

"We're here for the old times, Pete? Haron? You in?" I asked them. They looked at each other and then at me.

"Bring it on." They both said and that was the start of training.