Confined to the Shrine *Heights and Tirena*

Lydia sat in the hidden room of the shrine. The door was located just behind the golden alter with the golden statue of the great phoenix that all gifts, oferings and such was placed. The shrine of the fire phoenix was nothing more than a room from the palace that was separated. The walls were golden and sparkling there were ruby red rugs to sit upon silken cushions and a radiant table beholding a phoenix talon and feather. In the hidden room is where Lydia made her home. There she sat down and cried for the sudden freedom that was taken from her this day.

"Lydia?" Cinka said as he walked in the shrine, looking around for her as he walked around, unable to find her. "I know your here, let me just talk to you, Its ok" Cinka said as he sat down on a chair waiting for her to answer. "I wont let you be confined here ok? I promise" Cinka said, looking outside to make sure no one was listening.

*Lydia heard him and stepped out the door and stood behind the statue. She sat down and wiped away her tears*

How can it not be confinement? The people know of me now. Everywhere I go they shall bow and gift me with gifts. I never wanted to be known I wanted to be treated equally now I dont have that, not anymore.

"Only they know and this is still the fire country, I will tell them the gravity of the situation and tell them to stay quiet for your sake." Cinka said as he heated his finger a bit, putting it to lydias eyes evaporating the tears. "Someone as beutiful as you shouldent cry"

*Lydia looked up at Cinka and smiled. She then looked down and laughed a bit*

Just like your mother. Your just as sweet and kind as your mother. So you remember me now. You must think im foolish to confirm that man of what I was infront of the people.

"Foolish no, a mistake yes but your not bad for doing that. I know how it feels to live with something, and not want others to know about it. But I promise you will be free, thats what pheonix and people need, to be free." Cinka said as he kissed her cheek, then taking her by the hand began to walk outside to tell them

Lydia went with him but walked a bit behind him as they exited the shrine. News of the identity of the phoenix had traveled all around the fire nation and there was a great multiple of people at its door when they exited the shrine. They bean to cheer and bow and offer Lydia gifts. She shook her head and started to go back into the shrine.

"Enough, stop it, she doesent want to be bothered. Leave her alone and go back to doing what you do." Cinka said as the crowd rushed in, cinka jumping back in and closing the door. "Damn...I got an idea." Cinka said as he took off his cape that had a hat and gave it to lydia. "Put this on and cover your head, where escaping" Cinka said as he waited for her to put it on. "Come on, I'll take you somewhere safe" Cinka reassured her as he helped her out a bit.

*Lydia put on the cape and hat and looked at Cinka*

Are you sure this will work?

"Only one way to find out" Cinka said as he picked up lydia and jumped out the open window, running across the field, all the people on the other side not noticing. "We will head to the water or ice nation, no one would suspect you there." Cinka said as he kissed her cheek. "Sorry something about you I find attractive.." Cinka said, being cocky as he ran.

*Lydia looked at Cinka with shock in her eyes. The water nation would drain her energy and shed be weak there what was he thinking*

Cinka the water nation is the worst place for me to go Im a fire phoenix how will I truly survive in the water nation? My fire would be useless there and Ill lose strength quickly from being away from the volcanic mountains of the fire nation.

"If you train there and get used to it, then you'd be much more stronger when you return. And thats why we are going, because no one would think of searching for you there." Cinka said with a smile as he ran in the direction of the water nation, running through the woods, taking a few shortcuts as they arrived at a small hut. "We can rest here and talk." Cinka said as he looked around, making sure nothing was there.

It is very dangerous for a phoenix to live its nation. We are meant to stay there, to protect it. I need to stay and protect you and the nation.

*Lydia replied looking at Cinka and then shock ran upon her face and she started to run back to the fire nation*

If i must leave I cant leave without that statue!

Cinka ran behind her and stoped her, huging her as he stoped her from running. "No stay, I'll get the statue, we cant have people following you, and you dont have to protect me, I'll take care of the fire nation, its ok...your more important now anyways." Cinka said as he ran her back to the hut, sitting her down as he kisses her cheek. "Now tell me where the statue is" Cinka said as he waited for her to answer.

*Lydia looked at Cinka amazement clearly on her face. Never had a phoenix been protected as this. She smiled and closed her eyes and nodded. She gazed into his eyes and her eyes then flickered red and then turned white. His eyes did the same and in Cinka's head he could see the shrine perfectly. As Lydia spoke she made his mind travel and see everything he should be able to see upon following her instructions exactly*

Listen Cinka and listen carefully for my life depends on that statue. Go to the shrine, behind the golden statue of myself there is a small door. Go through the door and keep walking until you reach the back. You should see another door. Go through it and enter the back of the mountain. Look straight up and youll see my home. Enter in and directly infront of the door your should find a jeweled phoenix statue with ruby eyes. Dont gaze into them for if you do youll be caught in the Phoenix trap. That statue must be with me. I shall stay here until you return please be careful.

*Lydia closed her eyes breaking the hold she had on his mind and watched as his eyes slowly went back to normal. She kissed his cheek and smiled*

"Well then, I'll get it...course I cant fly but i'll work around that" Cinka said as he winked at her and began running to the shrine again. "Ok so secret switch, door, hall, door, climb, door, dont looks at statues eyes and get back without anyone noticing...I feel like im back at the jungle again..." Cinka said as he ran faster, a small stream of fire coming out of his feet, thinking of a plan as he looked at his wrist which began to glow red. "not now, come on.."

*Lydia watched as he left, a bit of her fire turned cold as she worried for him. She shook her head and sat still*

I must believe he will be ok. But still, something tells me something is wrong. What should I do? Honor what he wanted and stay here, or follow him?

*Lydia stoood and walked a small ways looking out at the direction CInka took as her mind kept going over the question*

Cinka approached the area where the shrine was, moving towards it as he hid himself from the people whom had already left the shrine, seeing as she wasent there. Cinka jumped through the window and fliped the swtich, the wall moving revealing the passage as cinka went in and closed the passageway. "Ok so now follow the passageway" Cinka said in his mind as he ran down the corridor, thinking about what lydia would be doing at this moment.

*Lydia sighed and took off her cloak. She spread her wings and flew high until she was sitting on the roof of the hut. She could see the shrine easily enough from here and hoped Cinka was doing fine*

To honor the princes wishes that is law to the phoenix code. I must stay here.

After running through the corridor, Cinka opened the door stopping as he faced a wall, looking up he could see the opening where the door was. "Oh great now I got to be a monkey..." Cinka said as he sighed, grabing on to the cracks on the walls as he started scaling the wall, moving slowly towards the door entrance. "The things I do..." Cinka thought as he climbed the wall, grabing on the cracks and edges.

*Lydia sat waiting for Cinka to return. She hoped he hadnt looked into the eyes of the statue. She stood up and flew back down to the ground and started to go back into the hut when suddenly a bag like object was thrown over her head and draped down her body. She gave out a sharp shreik as she fell to the ground. She felt the object around her being tied pinning her arms and wings close to her body. Her eyes were flooding with tears as she heard the voices of unrecognizable men. She felt their hands grab her and pick her up. As they talked to eachother her eyes went wide at what they said*

This ones a pretty one, aint no normal spriken thats for sure.

Yeah her wings are too beautiful think its one of em Phoenix creatures Queen kannon told us about?

Yeah she seems to fit the description we were given. Mistress Kannon will be proud of us for this catch.

Right shell maybe even give us an award and let us stay alive.

This beauty will give Kannon alot of power we will get more than just our lives and an reward We may become nation leaders!

WOW! Lets hurry back to the castle!

As Cinka climbed up, a sharp feeling crawled up his spine. "No!" Cinka said he put his feet down, fire coming out of his feet, sending him flying upward as he landed on the the entrance of the door, tieing a wrap around his eyes as he opened the door, feeling an odd aura coming from a small object in front of him. Grabing the object he put it in his shirt and ran back down, using his fire to send him flying down, landing on the floor hard as he got up and sped off towards lydia, fire coming out of his feet as he ran towards her. "Lydia!" Cinka yelled as he ran faster, seeming as if a blur as the shoes he had on began to burn off, his mark glowing bright red as his faced showed anger, as if something had happened.

*The men heard a sharp yell and looked at eachother in shock. They ran off into a forest and started to tie Lydia to one of their drackels. They climbed onto its back and started to whip it to go. The Drakel began to run as fast as it could towards the water nation. The guards knew they had to go through it to get to the portal they had open that would take them straight to the dungeon in Kannons Castle. Lydis heard Cinka call her name and just closed her eyes. She felt ashamed that her guard was dropped and that she had been captured so easily. She could do nothing now but hope, and even that wasnt looking so good*

Man that yell was close think we lost him?

I sure hope so. We need to keep this creature with us if we return without her we may as well toss ourselves into the dragons pit!

We better keep moving then dont want him to catch up.

Right faster Drackel get moving!

"No you dont..I need to go faster, I need more power..." Cinka said as he began to glow with a dark aura, his speed increasing as a grin ran across his face. "You want to be stronger huh? Heh well then just give into me, I'll get the girl..." Said as voice as Cinka began to go even faster, a blaze of fire behind him. "No...I cant...fine, just get her back.." Cinka said as he yelled, his body being covered by a dark aura as he began to float, a dark fire propelling from his feet, sending him towards the two grunts, passing them as cinka stoped his face showing a grin, it was no longer cinka in control. You two better leave without the girl, id love to tear you to pieces but you two arent strong enough to stand against me, I wouldent want to waste my breath." Cinka said as he sent a burst of dark fire to the knot on the bag, letting go of lydia as she landed on the floor, cinka then shooting small flames to the rope on her wrists and feet.

Lydia threw off the bag and flew high into the sky the men making there Drackel run far away from Cinka. Lydia, through blurred eyes, flew straight back to the hut and straight inside and held herself on the floor crying. SO close was she to being in teh clutches of Kannon. If she had been taken to Kannon Sprikania would have been doomed to fall. No one except Lydia knew the true secret she and the rest of the Phoenix held.