forbidden love (a kataang story)

Chapter 1: Surprise visitor

Katara's POV

It was a beautiful morning, not that I could enjoy it. The restrictions put in place for me by my father clearly say that I'm not allowed outside, unless you count my balcony. Being princess has it's perks sure, but I'd really love the freedom to make my own decisions, or heck I'd love to take a bathroom break without a guard standing outside the door!

But my father became extremely cautious after my mother's death, and my life hasn't been the same since.

I walked down the stairs from my room. It was the room at the very top of the castle, so the few minutes it usually took for me to make my way to the dining hall were very much expected from my father and brother; but I had stayed up late and spent the night on my balcony practicing my waterbending. My father forbids me from bending, but I've been practicing in secret. The icicles hanging from my windows were too enticing not to try and bend. I woke up and checked the clock, "ah crap!" I griped. I quickly threw on a light blue dress and brushed through my hair. As I sprinted down the stairs I could see food being wheeled into the hall on trays. I cursed under my breath, "shit they're about to eat!" I rushed into the dining hall and took my place next to my brother Sokka.

"Morning sleepy head" he said right before he began to wolf down his food. I didn't bother trying to talk to him, knowing that all of his energy would be focused on his food for the time being. I poked and prodded at the food on my plate, not really wanting to eat anything at the moment. I could sense my father watching me and I turned to face him. "I know you aren't happy with your restrictions Katara," he began "but you've had them for your whole life, and a few sad glances aren't going to change that." I knew that was true. My father cared for me and spoiled me all the time, but he was dead set on keeping me in the castle, and his mind wasn't easily swayed.

I sighed and quietly left the hall. Nothing ever happened around the castle, and other than the few interactions I had with the maids and servants there wasn't much to do. I spent the rest of the day consumed in my studies. I had the occasional tutor, but for the most part my father trusted me to take my learning into my own hands. Little did he know I usually just read books about waterbending and the other elements. My whole life I've only ever been surrounded by people from the Water Tribe, mainly because I lived in the south pole, but also because it was forbidden. Not forbidden for me specifically, but forbidden by law. The elements were seen has too dangerous to be interacting with one another, so to keep peace and balance the first people of the world separated themselves by element and created four civilizations. No person from the Water Tribe, the Air Nomads, the Earth Kingdom, or the Fire Nation had seen anyone from the other elements ever since. There were books about the other elements and the people who could bend them but it was all speculation. I longed to meet someone from another element, imagine the stories and adventures we could have! I had read much about the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom, but there was almost nothing to read about the Air Nomads. Other than a few vague descriptions of their bald heads and tattoos, nobody really knew anything about them.

I realized I had been daydreaming about meeting someone from another nation for so long that the sky had fallen into a deep shade of purple, and the fresh air grew chilly. I shut my windows and put my books away. Forgetting to shut my balcony doors, I undressed and changed into my sleeping garments. I doused the lamp by my bed and slipped under the covers, feeling sleep wash over me.

A cool breeze flowed through my room, making my spine shiver. I groggily got up to see that it was still dark outside. I shuffled around my room and pulled on some pants and a jacket. The clock was hard to read in the dark but as my eyes adjusted it looked to be around 1 or 2 in the morning.

I turned to face my balcony , noticing that I had forgotten to shut my doors. Fear raced through me, and I quickly shut them. I crawled back into my bed, and a feeling of tiredness began to creep over me. But before I could drift off, I heard a tap come from the outside. I jolted out of bed, adrenaline rushing through me. I looked out to see a figure sitting on the railing of my terrace.