𝙄𝙉 𝙀𝙓𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙉𝙂𝙀 ⤁ prince zuko

two | avatar aang

It had been a week since Mari was brought to the Abbey. Her ankle was healing well so she decided she would continue her travels farther east in a few days. She arose from her bed that morning and began to braid her hair. She smiled sadly in the mirror. Her mother had always worn this hairstyle, Mari found it comforting to do the same.

Three years prior, she once lived in a small village with her mother and father. Most of the village, including her father and brother, where non benders. However, there were few earthbenders scattered around the village, like Mari and her mother. The village was under fire nation rule, and earth bending was strictly forbidden. One day, the fire nation soldiers that were stationed in the village where tipped that there were some people secretly practicing earthbending in the forests around the village. The soldiers began to raid houses, trying to find the illegal earth benders. When they had reached Mari's house they began to destroy the well kept home, in frustration.

Mari, was young and frightened, for she had been training with her mother in the forest. Her mother attacked one of the fire benders, with earthbending, in order to protect her daughter.

Her father blamed Mari for her mother's arrest. Claiming she was a disgrace and worthless. Her father banished her from the village, telling her to never return. Since then, Mari had done everything she could to find her mother, but even after three long years, the only information she had recovered was that, becuase she attacked a soldier her mother would have been taken to a Fire Nation prison somewhere in the Earth Kingdom. Still, the sparse piece of information gave her hope. Mari would not stop until she found her mother.

Mari looked back up into the mirror, banishing the sad memory from her mind. She turned as the wooden door opened revealing Sister Hana. "Good morning." She said with a warm smile.

Mari bowed. "Good morning Hana." she said returning the smile as Hana set down a platter of fruit, bread, and tea.

"Some of the sisters made breakfast and I decided to bring some to share." Hana said sitting down by the table in the corner or the room.

Mari joined her and began to pour herself some tea and place some fruit on her plate. "So are the rumors true? The Avatar has returned?" She asked, taking a bite of bread.

Hana nodded. "He's here, and is traveling with two young water tribe children. They were brought here by Bato, one of the injured water tribe warriors."

Mari nodded as Hana continued.

"Quite odd though, the avatar seems to be just a boy, I would say maybe 11 or 12." Hana said.

Mari set down her cup. "A 12 year old Avatar? Well that's interesting."

"You might as well try to make friends rather than sit in here and braid your hair all day." Hana said with an deep chuckle.

Mari smiled at the elderly woman's joke. "Maybe I'll go see what all this talk is about." Mari said getting up slowly. She limped lightly to the door and walked out into the courtyard.

Limping her way over to the stables she smiled as she saw the familiar blue feather poking out from the food barrel. "Good morning, Chi." Mari said with a laugh as the ostrich horse instantly perked his head up at the sound of her voice.

She pet his head lightly as the animal nuzzled it's nose into her palm. Smiling, she moved the barrel of hay closer to the stall and said her goodbyes.