Perdente

The palace stairs were a formidable climb during the rain. The already steep stairway was engulfed in a flowing river of water, draining in the courtyard. Sure, it was beautiful, but it was inconvenient when there was no litter to carry you. Ty-Lee could have very easily asked for one, owing to her connections, but ultimately decided against it. Time spent in Kyoshi trained her acrobatics for combat, and she kind of missed the fun of recreational difficulty. Her balance struggled against the slippery steps. With each, she risked injury, falling down almost four stories, but she didn’t care. She knew she wouldn’t fail. She barely had to try. As she approached, she continued to hear the noise of repair and renovation, though it was somewhat obscured by the storm. Rainy season in the capital always had that effect. It was fortunate, however, that they were in the fire nation. They were never short of warmth, even at the height of this heavy rain. The glow from inside each house and covered lamp lit the way well enough, while she was making her way through the city. The lanterns on the stairs, however, had no covering. Extinguished by the rain, Ty Lee finally made her way to the gate in absolute darkness, seeing only the light of the watchtowers. Exhausted, exhilarated, and sopping wet, she placed her hands on the gigantic, ornate knocking-ring, and banged against the door.