The master water bender stared her down as if she were a tick meant to be ripped off a dog.

It wasn’t unexpected. She was used to this sort of treatment when men found out she wanted to learn how to fight. It was why watching and trying to figure out on her own was easier. As loath as the man was to teach her, she could tell he would. If anything, because Prince Seokjin was watching from across the deck as he ran maneuvers on his men.

“Stop moving so fast,” the water bender commanded. “You have to be more fluid with your motions.”

Darshi’s arms dropped to her side, a frown marring her face. They weren’t even bending yet, only reviewing her forms. They had started from the very beginning. Some of them he only told her to move to the next, but there were other’s she couldn’t seem to grasp no matter how many times he repeated himself.

“It’s the only way I can do it,” she complained. “I taught all this to myself. Of course my way may be different than yours. Why does that make it wrong?” There could be more than one way to get to a solution, after all.

“Do you want my help or not?” he growled, looking as if he’d like nothing more than to pummel her.

Instead of answering with words she did it with her element. Even though her motions were different, the result was the same. Instead of being angry like she expected, he tilted his head to the side in thought. “Do it again.”

Darshi hesitated, turning to see Prince Seokjin watching them. A feeling of unease spread through her, but she did the form again.

“Why does your bending look so different?” he pondered to himself, watching as she threw the water back into the ocean.

Darshi fidgeted, unable to meet his gaze. She adjusted her top, pretending to find it interesting. “I’m not sure, but let’s go back to forms,” she pressed.

“Does anyone else in your tribe bend like that?”

She thought about her brother Jungkook. She wasn’t going to bring him up. Seokjin didn’t know of his existence and she was afraid it may complicate things if he thought her brother was capable of all the things she was, which was not the case.

“No.”

“Why only you?” he murmured to himself, circling her. “Again.”

She glanced back at Prince Seokjin, hoping a miracle would happen and he’d decide she had learned enough for the day. He wasn’t even paying any attention anymore, roaring at some man that managed to mess up an entire formation.

She bent her knees slightly, getting into position. As she went to throw the water back over the side he shouted out, “Hold!”

Darshi froze, arms trembling as she held the form. It was as much in fear as it was the difficulty of keeping still that made her shake.

He stood below her form, studying it. Darshi broke out into a cold sweat, heart palpitating in her chest. He reached a hand above to touch it, but in a swift movement she threw it over. “That’s enough for today,” she decided for herself. Seokjin hadn’t told her how long to practice, just to do it. She yanked at her collar, forcing some much needed air down her shirt.

When she had composed herself she turned back around, but he was looking at her differently than before. There was none of that burning hatred in his eyes, instead a deep understanding. Thin slivers of amazement, shock, and disbelief course though them, seeming to be overwhelmed. “You- You’re…” he faded off, unable to finish his sentence.

Pure, unaltered terror ripped through her veins like a shot of adrenaline. She wanted to explain herself, to beg him to keep his silence. She wasn’t hurting anyone. No one had to know. His eyes darted to her, and then Prince Seokjin behind her and she already knew he would tell her darkest secret to the world.

She broke into a bending form, beckoning the water to her finger tips. Before she could break out in a full out attack the master water bender was fending her off with one of his own. She flipped out of the way, making a lasso of water and attempting to grasp one of his limbs. He evaded her, sweeping up all the water on deck and turning them to icicles.

“What in the world is going on?” Prince Seokjin called out, marching over to them. “I told you to work on her bending forms, not murder each other.”

Darshi’s chest rose with each breath she struggled to pull into her lungs, her eyes never leaving the water benders.

It was too late.

The only way to bring that secret to the grave would be to overwhelm him from the start. She was no match for a master, not unless she could apply tactics too. Besides, even if she managed to silence him there would always be another teacher to replace him. Seokjin wouldn’t allow her to get rid of her teacher a second time. If it was only her life she would have never attacked him, but it was a matter of the tribe. If Prince Seokjin thought she had double crossed him at all the deal would be off.

Her water form melded to the ground, accepting her fate as the master water bender took a deep break in, opened his mouth, and spoke.

Bringing forth words never meant to be spoken.

Once upon a time there was a girl that blew where the wind sent her.

She flew on the back of the great eastern winds to the Earth Kingdom, where she was welcomed with open arms. She drifted to the desert, teaching healing and learning something from all the people she met. It had not always been like this. Once she had a home, and a people to call her own.

She was only a child of four when her people were exterminated.

She had been sent to an earth village by Sister Lio to gather supplies for their people. It was a lot of responsibility for a four year old, so one of the older children left with her. A teenage girl that was annoyed for even having to play babysitter when she could be practicing her bending. When they noticed the smoke rising in the distance where their temple was located her chaperone had gestured for her to keep going, turning back to see wha