Fire and Aether

Prologue: Rose's Story

 Picture for reference (Rose's outfit)^^
     The aetherbenders were much different than the other benders. Aetherbending was more advanced, more potent, and more dangerous, requiring years just to use a sliver of the amount a master would achieve. Most never excelled to the top within their usually very long lifespans.
     The Aether Realm is, of course, a spirit realm, not to be confused with the spirit realm. There are two spirit realms.
    One is the actual realm of the dead while the other is a realm of aetherbenders, clairvoyants, seers, mystics, and other such casters and mediums.
     This second realm exists on the physical plane of existence unlike the first and its people have much to be grateful for, protection from the fire nation among the many advantages.
    The Aether Realm has always been a peaceful people who have no need for fighting or wars, which is why they often remain neutral.
     However, with the knowledge of one of their own being the next Avatar, things weren't so simple anymore....
                        * * * * *
     The Aether Realm was set up differently than that of the other benders. While some benders lived in temples or cities or out in the country, the aetherbenders lived in a mixture. A large part of the Aether Realm was filled with beautiful woods and flower-filled meadows. The rest had an enormous palace with a fairly large city around it.
     The Aether Realm was split up between these two very different worlds.
     The kingdom part of the Aether Realm was ruled by a kind and just family of royals.
     The first was the King, Ryker. Ryker was a tall, burly man with hair as black as the depths and a beard to match, dark hunter green eyes, a strong steady frame and facial structure, covered in scars and usually decked out in armor and a long fur lined cape.
     His wife, Queen Ophelia, was the exact opposite of her husband. She was petite, with beautiful red hair that had once been long but was now no more than shoulder length with many more curls than in her youth, eyes as blue as the ocean, curvy and perfect in every way, her fair skin flawless. She usually dressed in a long gown that touched the floor and dragged behind her.
     The pair had three children, a pair of strapping young men and a gorgeous daughter.
     Will was the eldest of the three, at 25 years of age, as tall and strong as his father, with tanned skin, brown hair and beard covering his face and matching brown eyes. He usually dressed in tight fitting tunics and pants with a long cape covering him.
     He was married to a beautiful young woman named Caitlyn, although most called her Catie. Her long, straight, blond/brown hair fell to her waistline. Her eyes were a beautiful blue that sparkled like gems in their depths and her skin was the color of polished marble.
     She had been from the Northern water tribe and Will had met her on one of his many diplomatic missions with his father. They met, fell in love, and the rest is history. He even gave her the engagement necklace that most waterbenders got, this one with the royal family's crest on it, a golden dragon.
     The other son of the royal family was Jasper. Jasper was barely 21 with a strong and tanned body like his father and brother and brown hair like Will as well. However, his eyes were a greenish gray in color and he was a bit thinner than the others. He usually wore all black, whether that be tight fitting clothing, robes, or even armor.
    The youngest child was their 15 year old daughter, Rosalia, who usually went by Rose. She had the same fair skin and gorgeous red hair as her mother, except her hair flowed to her waist like Catie's did. Her eyes were like rainbows, changing color with her mood, and she usually wore a dress that had a skirt that was long in back and short in the front.
     One day, shortly after her 15th birthday, a seer came to the palace with news: Rosalia was the new Avatar.
     Rose wasn't the strongest aetherbender out there for there were plenty more talented than she. That's not to say she was the weakest either. She was a prodigy like her mother, with plenty of power but she was still in training.
     She had no choice but to pack lightly and travel to the Southern Air Temple to find a Guardian for the remainder of her travels. When she arrived, she was greeted warmly by the shaolin monks (except for one sour old man). They took her to the children to spend time with them a take her pick of them to be her Guardian.
     She ended up picking the 11 year old Aang and the pair became best friends.
     Over the next year, the pair grew closer until they began to think of each other as family. That was when disaster struck.
     A year later when Rose had just turned 16 and Aang turned 12, they found out that they were going to be sent away. Aang didnt wan't to leave the man he thought of as a family and neither did Rose. They ran away and ended up stuck inside an iceberg.
     And, thus, the Avatar and her Guardian were lost to the world for 100 years....