tsubasa

The Making of a New Queen

Anastasia looked at him when he left for the kitchen and asked her to stay where she was. The staff seemed very intent on keeping her out of the kitchens, with the man last night and Samsul this morning. She walked over to a simple looking chair and sat down in it. She placed her hands in her lap as she looked around the room again. She made a note to ask to see the kitchens, she wanted to talk to the chefs. Cooking had always been something that she enjoyed doing with her mother. The food last night had been too rich for her tastes but she would love to talk with the people who had made it.

She looked at Samsul when he re-entered the room and walked over to her. She looked up at him as he stood behind her. Patting the chair next to her, she smiled up at him, "Please, sit down... It feels funny with you looming over me like that."

She leaned back in her chair and began to play with her fingers, "Are you going to eat?"

The Making of a New Queen

Anastasia looked at him when he bowed slightly. It was strange watching him as he bowed in front of her. That was never something she had expected to ever see anyone do. She was about to stop him but hesitated. Her mother may not mind him not bowing but someone might and she didn't want to get him into any trouble. She nodded her head when he suggested that they go to the dining hall and get her something to eat. She figured she probably should, most of what she ate the night before was no longer in her stomach and that could be an explanation of her earlier dizziness. She smiled at him, "Do you think the portions could be smaller this time?"

She walked with him to the dining room. She looked over the room and stopped before looking at Samsul, "Do I... just sit down?"

The Making of a New Queen

Anastasia nodded as he spoke. She wished she had had the chance to meet him. To be held by the man whose estranged image had tormented and occupied her mind for many years. Sure, she had her Papa and Mama who would forever be her one true family. However, in seeing the Queen and herself in the older woman, it made her realize just how much she had wanted the day she met her parents to happen. The King would have loved her as it seemed the Queen did, the thought brought a small smile to her face. She would have to ask the Queen about him or maybe an older guard, to not upset her mother.

They walked around the garden in silence that was sporadically interrupted by conversation. Soon they returned to the halls of the Palace. Anastasia stopped at a large painting of her mother and father. She looked at the two as they smiled elegantly. Her hands held her elbows as she looked on. She hadn't seen this picture on her arrival, it was nice to see the man who had been her father for such a short time. She wondered if was there to see her born or if it was his death months before her arrival that scared the queen into sending her away, "They look happy..."

The Making of a New Queen

Anastasia began to walk again, knowing the man would follow her. She took small slow steps though, so that it wouldn't be difficult to catch up with her. She began to bite her lip again as she thought. He had mentioned stopping doing what you had been doing for years. She nodded her head, "It isn't," she wasn't used to be under someone's eye at all times. Whether it were Samsul's or her mother's or Gerald's or some nameless Lord or Lady. She wasn't used to asking people to do things for her or standing tall with her chin up. She most definitely wasn't used to the lavish lifestyle that came with being a princess. She held her hands tightly behind her back, she wasn't going to complain. There were people out there who dreamed of being whisked away from their normal lives to become royalty.

She remained quiet for sometime as they walked, biting at her lip, deep in thought. Melor bounded around them with his stick in his mouth as he chased butterflies or woodland creatures. It was a great deal of time before Anastasia looked up at him, "I don't think you were... bred to become a guard.... Just as I wasn't bred to become a Queen... Although, it seems like both of those things have become our fates, it wasn't why we were born. Your parents loved each other enough to want you... Or at least do what was needed to have you...." She looked around at the flowers and smiled softly, "On our ride here... I feared that I was really only born because my parents needed an heir to their throne.... Now that I've met the Queen... I feel like that was not the only reason I was born..."

She looked up at Samsul, "Did you know my father?"

A Bender's Story: The One Where It Began (Aerandir and Tsubasa)

Nyima nodded her head when he gave in and agreed to take her under his wing yet again. She did her best to hide her excitement, "Thank you, Rayn..."

She looked over at the stove and smiled at him, "Don't forget to get something to eat... Or else I'm going to tell Mrs. Chan that you skipped a meal," she placed her hands on her hips and looked him straight in the eye. After a moment, she rose her eyebrows before turning and walking into her room. She slowly closed her door behind her, shutting it quietly in contrast to slamming it moments earlier. Once in the quiet of her own room, she did a small happy dance. Sure, Rayn wasn't a hundred percent on board with it but he was going along with it. If she had wanted to join the army back home, her brother would have tied her to a chair before agreeing to partner up with her to keep her safe.

She changed into her pajamas and climbed into bed. As excited as she was, being angry made her tired, so she curled up and quickly drifted to sleep.
~~~~
The next morning, Nyima was making the two of them breakfast when she looked at Rayn. She pursed her lips, "So... How is this going to work? You don't normally come home before you go off on your off duty business... Do I meet with you somewhere? Or are you going to start coming back here?"

The Making of a New Queen

Anastasia nodded when he answered her question. So it seemed he had lived a life that she was supposed to have lived or similar to. She thought about it, trying to figure out what her next question would be. She was curious after all but didn't want to step on any toes. She bit her lip as she normally did when she lost herself in her head. Finally she looked back at him, "Do you like living in the palace? Or do you wish some days that you could live in the country? Be somewhere that you didn't have to be formal or listen to someone else's orders..... or do you like having someone to protect and watch over?"

She didn't think she could handle having someone's life in her hands. Having to protect them from blatant attacks or more subtle things like poisoning. Then again, she guessed if she ever did become Queen would have to do just that but on a far larger scale. She played with her fingers behind her back, "Does it ever get stressful? Worrying that someone might put themselves in danger without even knowing it and you would have to stop it."

Avatar: Return of the Air Benders

Zenji nodded to Masuto when he said it was time to leave. She looked to his mother and sister, Aki. She walked over to them and smiled, "We'll keep him safe... I promise. We'll bring him back as soon as we can, you have my honour as a proud Airbender. Seventeen years going strong," she looked over her shoulder at the door where Zhou and Mizuki stood, "Plus, we have some added muscles," she bowed to them both, "It was a pleasure meeting you."

She then turned and placed her hands on his shoulders, "Let's go find us an air bison."

She walked out the door and noticed Zhou was looking at something. She looked to see a man walking toward them. Looking at Masuto, she pursed her lips, "I think we've already attracted some attention."
~~~~~~~~
Nyima smiled at Rayn when he pulled up in front of her house. Pulling her bag on over her shoulder, she walked down the steps and nodded, "I told you I would be waiting."

She walked over to his bike and hesitated a moment, she didn't know how this was going to be with him being mad at her. She sighed internally, that would be something she would have to clear up later. Maybe when they were stopped for the night. As of right now, the two of them had bigger fish to fry. Such as following the airbender, but only by so much that they wouldn't be seen. Sure that would be more so Rayn's job, since he'd be driving, but she had to keep an eye out to. Besides, with the wind, he'd hardly be able to hear her. She climbed onto the bike behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She looked at him, "Let's get this show on the road."

The Making of a New Queen

Anastasia nodded her head, "I think he would love that. He and I used to go running through the fields... I think with the lack of fields, he would enjoy running along with you all," she smiled as her dog ran up to Samsul, figuring out that he was going to be the one throwing the stick for him, "Although, he may try to get under foot. He used to trip me up all the time till I got used to his little tricks."

Melor barked, the stick still in his mouth. Feeling better, Anastasia stood up and Melor looked at her, his tail wagging. She walked over to the two of them and gave Melor a look. He placed it on the ground looked between the two people who could throw the stick for him. Ana smiled and took the stick, "He is trained," she then handed it to Samsul, "He just likes to run around like a complete goof."

She placed her hands behind her back as Samsul took the slightly slobbered on stick from her. She looked up at the very tall man, "How long have you lived in the castle?"

A Bender's Story: The One Where It Began (Aerandir and Tsubasa)

Nyima pulled open her door and looked at him as he walked toward his room, "I didn't say that!" She watched him, "I just want a chance to make a choice... even if it is the wrong one...."

She stepped out of her room and walked over to him, "You know... You haven't gotten mad at me about going out.... Just about who I was with..." She wiped her eyes and looked at him, her hands held behind her back, "W-what if you took me with you? I'd get to learn from the best, someone who knows the officers and how to cover his tracks and can teach me."

She rose onto her toes as she looked at him, biting her lip. She was nervous, maybe he was just angry about her being the Rogue Benders. Maybe he didn't want some little girl blowing his cover. He seemed rather adamant about keeping her safe and although she was done with having to be protected it was nice, "You could..." she glanced up at him, "Even... keep me safe if it comes down to it. I wouldn't get too hurt..."

She began to play with her fingers behind her back, "I um... I haven't killed anyone... I just... can't stomach it," she looked down the ground, slightly ashamed that she couldn't do anymore that catch them, "I want to help.... you..."

A Bender's Story: The One Where It Began (Aerandir and Tsubasa)

Nyima looked at the door when he spoke from the other side. Standing in the middle of her room, she didn't know what to do. To scream, to shout, to cry, to laugh, to not say or do anything, to just stand there and stare the door. After a moment of silence, she walked over to the door. She left it closed, not wanting him to see the tear accumulating her eyes and moving her back to the scared little girl. She leaned against the door, pressing her forehead to it before she spoke, "For once.... In my life, someone trusted me with something people would say I was too weak for or to young or incapable of..... You taught me that I can protect myself... But with you it was always just self defense. Matsen was teaching me to take a stand... I didn't choose to do what I've been doing because I found out about Matsen...... I choose the night you told me what they had done to your family. If I stop... what would the point of growing into an independent woman be? To fear what happened that night on the docks will repeat itself? To avoid walking home alone at night? To always have to be ready to be attacked when I'm just trying to get home? That doesn't sound like a life worth living...."

She sniffled and sighed, leaning against the door, "I'm going to get hurt some days... But I want to choose why..."