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.
"Ahah! I caught you." Rang the scolding voice of Mother Superior. "You should be ashamed of yourself." She continued.
Mari peeked her head out from the stables. She leaned against the wall as she watched Mother Superior bend down to pick up a balled up piece of parchment. In front of her was a short, bald boy, with grey arrow tattoos running down from his forehead.
"Air nomad tattoos" she mumbled to herself in surprise.
"Littering in the courtyard" She said, her eyes peering in.
"I'm sorry! I'll take care of this." He said with a quick bow.
Mother Superior nodded and walked away as the boy slowly stuffed it back into his clothing.
"The sisters aren't too keen on littering." Mari spoke up causing the child to jump slightly.
He turned around and gave the girl a toothy grin. "Yeah I realized that. Hi! I'm Aang."
Mari grinned at his enthusiasm. "I'm Mari. So I assume the rumors are true? You're the Avatar."
"How'd you know?" He asked.
"Well for starters, the tattoos gave it away. And the other, the sisters here at the Abbey only really do two things, make perfume, and gossip." Mari finished with a laugh.
Aang smiled and turned red, slightly embarrassed.
"How come you don't dress like the other ladies?" Aang asked.
"Oh I'm not a sister." Mari giggled. "I was traveling east to Ba Sign Se to find someone to help me strengthen my earthbending when a storm broke out, I got injured and the sisters took me in, allowing me to rest and heal before I continue my journey." She said motioning toward her ankle wrapped in white fabric.
"Oh you're an earthbender! We're traveling to the North Pole so I can master waterbending!" Aang said excitedly.
"That's so cool! I've only met three water benders my whole life."
"My friend Katara is a water bender from the South Pole, her father's friend is here at the Abbey, that's why we're here." Aang explained.
Mari nodded with a smile.
"Can I tell you something?" Aang said, his smile falling.
"Sure, go ahead." Mari said.
The young boy fidgeted with his hands, as if he felt guilty about something.
"My friends, Katara and her brother Sokka, they're father has been gone for a while now fighting in the war. Bato, his friend that's here at the abbey received a map to their father last night. Except he didn't get it, I did."
Mari's eyebrows furrowed, confused.
"You see, I was afraid they were going to leave me to go find their father, which is a valid point, but, they're my only family left and I don't want to be alone again."
"So you hid the map from them?" Mari asked.
Aang nodded shamefully.
Mari paused thinking it over. "Well personally, I would-"
"Aang where are you?" Said a voice, cutting her off
From behind the stables, a boy around Mari's age popped up. The sides of his head were shaved leaving the top tied up. He wore typical water tribe attire and had light blue eyes, on tan skin.
"Woah-ho. Hi there, gorgeous." He said, his voice noticeably changing to a deeper tone.
It took Mari a moment to realize he was speaking to her.
"Uh, hi." She said uncomfortably.
"Oh back off Sokka." Said another voice from behind him. The girl had the same features, except hair was tied into a long braid down her back with two hair loops framing her face.
"Hi, I'm Katara, Sorry about my brother." She said with a smile.
Mari laughed and introduced herself to the girl.
"Aang, Bato is taking us to his ship by the shore, we figured you would want to come too." Katara said, turning her attention to the avatar.
"Actually, I'm fine staying here," Sokka said sliding over to Mari, sending her a wink.
She fought the urge to bend a slade of rock in between the two.
"Sokka. Let's. Go." Said Katara, grabbing him by the ear and walking towards the exit.
Mari turned to see Aang still standing there, as if wanting to finish their previous conversation.
"Just do what you think is right, Aang." She said wisely.
Aang looked into her green eyes hopefully. "Okay, Thank you Mari." He said with another grin before jumping away to meet the others.