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Chapter Text

This is my first fanfiction. Leave a review and tell me what you think. This will be an eventual Zutara and Azula/Aang. This is an AU! Changes from Canon will occur!

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender

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For over a century, since the dawn of the Great War, the Children of Fire were perceived as defilers and monsters, saboteurs and murderers. Curses flowed from the lips of benders and non-benders alike across the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes for a hundred years, and the curses endured still. Some say that the old Air Nomads curse Fire when the winds blow—always. The seeping, infected wounds of the Great War had scarred, compromising the possibility of peace. Those maimed by Fire's hands cursed them out of their hatred born of terror, for the line of Sozin, the epitome of evil and suffering, marred the world to fulfill a promised vision of a world of only Fire, and Sozin's name hissed in the air with the fury of Air when uttered.

Pain and strife enveloped everyone, some more than others, and regardless of the time passed since the Great War, people did not simply cease to remember. Memory is fugitive, but some memories are seared into the mind with precision and unfailing accuracy. No one would forget Fire's potency and the atrocities committed in the pursuit of blackening the other nations to cleanse the world of their perceived impurities.

Fire Lord Zuko of Sozin's line worked endlessly since the Great War's cessation to alleviate the terror of the nations and bore their visceral hatred and distrust, arguing for lasting peace by providing various reparations to the victims of Fire. He tried to show that the Fire Nation was serious about the lasting peace, endorsed in his efforts by Avatar Aang, who hailed Fire Lord Zuko's actions as redemptive.

But people were not interested in The Avatar's notion of redemption and would never forget the stench of Sozin's blood.

Contempt for the Children of Fire, their Fire Lord, and The Avatar who protected them ran deep in the minds of many, coiled in the deepest recesses of their vengeance-filled hearts.

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Zuko sensed the servant kneel behind him—three feet, as was customary, according to tradition. "Do you have it?" he asked, voice carrying, but he kept his eyes on the Turtle Ducks in the pond.

"Yes, Fire Lord," the servant responded. "I have the bread you requested."

He brought his arm to the side and motioned him forward, holding out his hand. The servant scurried toward him, head bowed - another tradition. Looking Agni's chosen ruler in the face was a sign of flagrant disrespect, and Zuko had heard stories of his father's pattern of executing servants who dared look at him.

Zuko had been unable to abolish the tradition, but he did not follow in his father's footsteps.

"You are dismissed," he said after receiving the bread.

After the servant departed, Zuko held the bread in his palms, staring at the pond, at the turtle ducks. Multiple chirps erupted from the creatures' beaks, and they swam closer, smelling the bread. Zuko's lips twitched into a soft smile, and he tore off small pieces, dropping them into the pond. The turtle ducks acted like fire, consuming the broken pieces within seconds. In response, he tossed more flakes into the pond, watching with fond amusement as the animals squabbled amongst themselves.

Eight long and grueling years had passed since Sozin's Comet blazed through the sky and bathed the heavens with its red glow, leading to the Great War's end thanks to Aang and himself. At the beginning of his reign, Zuko had thought foolishly that life would become easier, but he had been so terribly wrong.

Politics were much more complex than he had understood initially. Due to his father's numerous economic policies, the Fire Nation economy had quickly collapsed after the Great War, for the economy itself had been geared for war. Without war, the economy crumbled, and there was understandable unrest throughout the nation. There were riots and deaths, desperation and fear, and it had taken Zuko over three years to fix it all. And he had to do it alone.

Aang had to fly around the Earth Kingdom to assuage the turmoil happening there, and he needed to focus on reviving Air, fixing the Air Temples that Zuko's great-grandfather had so callously and cruelly brutalized. Toph had stayed for a few weeks after the Great War, but she had left for her home, and Katara, Sokka, and Suki all went home.

Not that Zuko felt bitter about it—certainly not.

That would be childish.

Childish.

Zuko was alone in the Fire Nation, isolated as Fire Lord, and Uncle had made the decision to live in Ba Sing Se to run the Jasmine Dragon. Often, Zuko had considered begging Uncle to return to the Caldera, but he couldn't evolve the selfish impulse into an action. However, despite Uncle's absence, he was of priceless knowledge and help, particularly due to his advanced understanding of Fire politics. Uncle's letters were why Zuko didn't lose his mind as Azula had, and his sage advice was what helped him eventually fix the nation's economy.

Because very few were willing to help.

He was Agni's anointed ruler, the Fire Lord, descended from Sozin, but so many of the old guard resented his decision to end the Great War, to abstain from expanding Fire's empire and realize Sozin's 'glorious' vision. The propaganda and indoctrination were immense and overwhelming, but he started to peel back the layers of his lineage's deceptions.

There were too many sleepless nights.

Months—years—had been spent tirelessly reviewing everything his father had done, and upon completion, Zuko realized that he would have to clean house. It had been worse than imagined, and he had quickly and vigorously gotten to work. All of his father's advisors and top military personnel were relieved from their duty. Any type of rebellion would have been treason and, thus, execution and swift land and financial takeover by the Dragon's Throne. Unfortunately, Zuko had had to order the deaths of more than he was comfortable with, execute more of his father's advisors and top generals rather than forcefully relieve them due to their devotion to the notion of Fire's supremacy, but it had to be done.

It was a lesson he learned after the first assassination attempt—and one only reinforced after the many that followed.

There were a couple of close calls, particularly on nights when he was exhausted from the endless paperwork. To alleviate his restless nights, caused by stress and, thus, the assassination attempts, which caused more stress, he had tried tea, closely following Uncle's recipes in the letters. Unfortunately, as he had suspected, deep down, tea-making had not been one of his inheritances via blood—as it was Uncle's, who had inherited it from Grandmother Ilah.

He had tried firewhiskey, but that did little except make him feel more impaired; he needed something that would keep him alert and clear.

So, he went the only route that seemed reasonable, particularly for a Fire Lord. He had been raised on the stories of his forefathers taking concubines, and it seemed perfect. So, in his desperation to find a way to circumvent the mounting stress that prevented him from rest, Zuko ordered a concubine to be brought to his chambers.

It worked.

It seemed like he was becoming more like his father as he aged, particularly since he looked so similar to him. Ironically, the scar dissuaded some similarity—but not all.

It didn't help that his father pointed out their physical similarities.

Zuko visited his father more than he was comfortable admitting; he was so ashamed he couldn't even admit it to Uncle, but there was something that drew him to his father. At least there was someone who understood the burden of the Dragon's Throne, even if that understanding reeked of disgust toward him. Whenever he asked about his mother, whatever forced and feigned geniality between them vanished. His father found cruel amusement in dominating him with his superior knowledge and insight about his mother, and Zuko suspected that his father wanted to maintain their equal state—missing Princess Ursa, mother and wife—and it was the source of his refusal to share information, no matter how much Zuko pressed him and threatened him.

If the father couldn't have her, the son couldn't, either.

He fiercely contemplated torturing his father for the information, nonetheless executing him due to his immense frustration, and he had even signed the order several times—only to set it alight with flames. Ozai had killed Grandfather Azulon to ensure his power; Zuko would not do the same, no matter how much he wanted to nor how much his father deserved it. His desperation had even reached such heights that he had assembled the Fire Sages and asked if it was possible to summon the Face Stealer to the Mortal Realm so he could terrorize his father into revealing the truth.

But the Fire Sages had looked so horrified that Zuko had dropped the idea. He would have asked Aang, but he knew the same horrified expression would have crossed his friend's face—something intolerable.

Zuko's own resources had done little to find anything promising; there were many rumors brought back to him, but nothing more than rumors. From what he had discerned, it was always clear to him—and his father, evidently—that his mother had fled to the Earth Kingdom, likely to one of the colonies to blend in. But besides going to the colonies himself, he had done everything to find his mother in the colonies, setting up an intrinsic network of trackers and informants who never found anything but those rumors.

That was why it seemed somehow fitting that he stumbled upon his mother by pure happenstance—frighteningly similar to when he stumbled upon Uncle bathing. However, where there was once retching, there were sobs.

He adorned his Blue Spirit guise in pursuit of spying on several nobles he suspected of trying to resurrect the Fire Nation's War Machine and followed into the Eastern Province. The nobles had convened in a house that was in the same vicinity as one of Zuko's own houses—one of Grandfather Azulon's favorites, according to Uncle, since it was a gift from Grandfather Azulon to Grandmother Ilah for the birth of Uncle—but Zuko had never visited it. He knew of it but did not know it.

However, he knew the house legally belonged to him, which was why he had been surprised—shocked—to see a graceful figure walking up the steps to the house with a basket of food and enter. Intrigued and appalled in equal measure at the gall necessary for a Child of Fire to set foot in the Fire Lord's residence without his permission or knowledge, Zuko abandoned his quest of spying on the nobles and broke into his own house.

The house was dark, and the shadows seemed to recognize its rightful owner had returned, retreating imperceptibly as Zuko silently roamed the house, trying to discern the identity of the figure. He saw paintings and pictures on the walls and shelves, and a large part of him wanted to summon flames to gaze upon his inheritance, to find a connection to a lineage that was so distant and powerful, but logic smothered the impulse.

He was not only the Fire Lord but the Blue Spirit, and the Blue Spirit was no Firebender.

The wood beneath his feet did not dare creak under his feet as he continued his mission, his intrigue growing like the flames simmering beneath his flesh. Not just anyone could evade his detection and take residence in the Fire Lord's residence, and he wondered how long the figure had lived in Grandfather Azulon's house. Had Grandfather Azulon known? Had his father?

The more he thought about it, the more questions there were.

But he would find his answers, for he found the figure—a woman clearly based on the build and disposition—in one of the back rooms, which had the layout and furniture of an area of study, holding a portrait. The basket of food had been placed on the desk over many scrolls.

Zuko watched the woman for several moments, and she was mesmerizing. She was clearly a noble based on the way she stood and held herself, but there was also a deep heaviness and sadness; she almost seemed lost and fragile looking at the portrait.

He had the sudden feeling that he shouldn't be in his own house, that it was he who was trespassing rather than the woman—absurd!

Suddenly, the woman's head lifted, still looking away from him, but before Zuko could discern if he had been sensed, the woman adjusted her stance and simultaneously spun around. A wave of fire from her foot blazed toward him, and Zuko stepped to the side. But the woman lashed out at him, flaming fists surging toward his face. The memory of his father's flaming hand descending to cradle his face all those years ago assaulted him, and he snarled. He no longer cared about preserving the Blue Spirit's mythical status.

He caught her incoming fists in both his hands and squeezed them tightly with vicious intent, yearning to crush bones and maim flesh. How dare the woman assault him, the Fire Lord, in his own home when she was the trespasser! How dare she mimic the same attack his father had done when maiming him but with double the power!

The woman gasped and struggled against his brutal hold, trying to escape, face still shaded in darkness, but her fists blazed underneath his fingers, trying to overwhelm him. Zuko lighted his own hands, and their flames fought against each other underneath his fingers. It was exceedingly hot, even for him, and Zuko prepared to breathe fire out of his mouth, not caring if he destroyed the mask, but when he looked back at the woman, he froze.

The light from their combined flames, even smothered underneath his hands, was enough to provide visual consistency for the space between them, and the woman's eyes gazed up at him in anger and fear—golden eyes versus golden eyes. But he knew those eyes; he knew them better than his own, for he saw those eyes when he spent time with Azula almost daily.

Unconsciously, his eyes roamed the woman's face, and despite the sign of the little aging that had occurred, it was more than confirmed; it was instinctive, something he knew in his blood, which had half its source in her. Hysteria threatened to burst through his mind like a shockwave of Azula's lightning. It had been eleven years since he had seen those golden eyes sparkling at him when he laughed in childish delight.

Those eyes belonged to his missing mother, Princess Ursa, the Dowager Fire Lady of the Children of Fire.

He stared at her, mesmerized, for several long, tense moments, petrified that she would vanish before his very eyes like a delicious smoke after a crackling fire. At the thought, his grip tightened, and his mother cried out in pain, eyes flashing with terror. The realization made him nearly sick; those eyes had never gazed at him with such mounting fear and desperation like he was his father.

He gasped in horror and was just about to let go of her hands—his mother's hands!—and rip off his mask, when his mother's knee surged up suddenly with a burst of fire from her feet, intensifying the speed, and connected with his crotch, target achieved. Zuko choked on a gasp and stumbled back, hands flying instinctively to his groin for protection as agony and hysteria overwhelmed him, producing a combined fit of coughing and laughing.

It seemed quite likely‚ especially with the pain ravishing him, that his mother wouldn't get the grandchildren she surely wanted.

He had just enough sense left in his mind to roll away from the hot blast of flames from his mother's surely bruised fists, and he collided with the edge of the desk, smashing his mask back into his face. Tears welled in his good eye, and he tried to speak, but all that came out was a grunt of pleading—more like a desperate gasp, actually. The pain from her attack and the realization of her identity had deprived him of speech.

"Who are you?" his mother demanded, flames blazing in her hands, bearing a remarkable resemblance to Azula. Now that he could look at her fully with more light provided, Zuko was amazed at the sheer resemblance, and he knew that Azula certainly wouldn't be pleased by the resemblance. "How did you find me?"

Zuko wheezed for air and slowly reached up, conveying that he was not a threat, and pulled off his mask.

The fresh air helped clear his vision to gaze at his mother more clearly, bask in her sight, and he stared at her, overwhelmed.

Upon seeing his face, a breath escaped out of his mother's lips in a painful-sounding rush, and the blood drained from her face; her eyes were riveted on his. The fire flickered out of her hands, and they were suspended in the darkness.

Then his mother shot small rays at the candles, alighting them, and rushed forward, eyes joyous, amazed, and disbelieving.

"Zuko?" she whispered, cradling his face, and something in him loosened from the tyrannical fear that his mother would find him terrible to look upon because of his scar.

He nodded and found his voice. "Mom."

The tears spilled down her cheeks, and he found them spilling out of his good eye. "My boy," she murmured and looked uncertain.

Zuko made the decision for her; he delicately pulled her forward into an embrace, still feeling the severe effects in his crotch. His mother tensed in surprise, but her arms swiftly wrapped around his back, squeezing tightly, hysterically, and whatever composure he had vanished.

The resulting sobs were painful but purifying.

Eventually, his mother showed him—gingerly, of course, for her attack against him was unfortunately successful, for which she apologized profusely—around the house he never knew, and he was free to observe the paintings and portraits he had wanted to.

Various people he did not recognize stared back at him, and his mother filled him in on who was who and how he was related to everyone. Apparently, Grandfather Azulon was quite fond of Grandmother Ilah's family.

There was a painting of Sozin above the mantle of the fireplace, and it was a painting of Sozin that he had never seen before. Every other painting had depicted Sozin the Fire Lord, but his mother's painting depicted Sozin the man. There was something loose, something human about Sozin in the painting, something relaxed rather than rigid and controlled.

"Is this yours?" he asked in amazement.

His mother shook her head, something unreadable on her face. "No, it is yours; it was Azulon's. Azulon adored Sozin, just as every Child of Fire did. But Sozin expected so much, likely due to becoming Fire Lord so young—only a little older than when you did, I believe—and had no heir for so long. He was a great man, a courageous and inspiring Fire Lord, but, as a father, he held incredible expectations."

"He murdered your grandfather," he blurted out, unsure why. Perhaps it was hearing his mother praise Sozin, something so impossible and unthinkable after everything he had learned, realized, and experienced.

His mother's eyes widened, and she stared at him in worry. "You know from whom I descend?"

"From whom we descend," Zuko confirmed. "I have the blood of an Avatar in my veins."

"Did Sozin really murder Roku?"

"Left him to die. I read his last testament."

Something seemed to register in his mother's face, and she nodded. "And that is why he attacked Air—afraid my grandfather would want revenge."

"Something like that."

She smiled slightly, something sad and wistful. "Your father was so impressed and delighted by my lineage. And Azulon was, too. To be descended from an Avatar, nonetheless from Roku, who was best friends with Sozin himself, is a daunting but promising honor."

Zuko felt something dark lock onto his spine. "Were you forced to marry him?"

His mother's sudden laugh was shocking. "Of course not. I wanted to marry him; I was in love with him, and he with me. We were young, and Azulon welcomed the union."

He felt awkward. "I'm sorry. I just thought that, maybe, it was a ploy to strengthen the Fire Royal Bloodline."

"No. If I would have been forced to marry someone to strengthen Sozin's line, it would have been Iroh. Azulon would have forced him to remarry. Natsumi died before your father and I married." Something shadowed across her face. "When the Fire Lord orders, you obey."

Zuko nodded in agreement. "So, this is where you've been," he said in amazement, looking around. "Out of all the places…"

"It is why it was chosen," his mother replied, voice drifting.

His good eye narrowed. "What do you mean?"

His mother smiled tightly and waved him off. "Think nothing of it."

"I'm Fire Lord—I could order you."

For some reason, his mother paled, but she shook her head. "Will you?"

"Not you. Never you."

His mother stared at him, eyes heavy with shame and sadness as they roamed his scar, and Zuko wanted to turn away, but he didn't. "I heard whispers of what happened to you, and I always prayed it was a vicious rumor propagated by one of your enemies at Court."

Zuko felt grief and looked at the portrait, memorizing his younger self's smooth, innocent face. "I'm sorry I'm not the boy you remember, the boy you loved."

His mother's eyes watered, and she sniffed, wiping them away. "Never apologize for who you are, Zuko. It is I who am sorry—for not being the mother you remember and loved. If I were, I would have returned to the Caldera upon hearing the rumors and helped and protected you."

"That would have been worse," he acknowledged. "I would have been humiliated and bitter. I already was, but your presence would have made it worse. I was a teenager, after all."

A small laugh escaped her. "Perhaps. I think if I were there, you would have been easy. But Azula, I always thought differently." Something vulnerable and panicked crossed her face. "How is she?"

Zuko said nothing for several moments, thinking furiously, before he offered his hand. "Come and see yourself."

It took a lot of convincing before his mother agreed to return to the Caldera, but when she did, Zuko knew it was quite possible that all the headway he had made with Azula over the years would disappear. Azula still hated their mother and blamed her more for everything that had happened to them rather than their father. He feared that she would regress in her recover, which had already stagnated, but it was a risk he decided to take.

The royal banquet he held in honor of his mother's return only inflamed his anxiety—and his mother's, he could tell—due to the various whispers. Some nobles were so Earthbender-like in demanding if his mother had been pregnant when she left and accused her of hiding another of Sozin's heirs in the Earth Kingdom.

It took everything Zuko had not to order executions.

His mother was much more generous and easily slipped back into the behavior and language of the nobles, for she had never forgotten. Zuko had been gone three years from the Fire Nation, and when he returned, it had felt so impossible to remember everything and act accordingly, and he marveled at his mother's retained abilities after eleven years.

But the questions about another of Sozin's heirs only reminded his mother of the real heirs. She quickly demanded to see Azula, and Zuko considered revising his final testament before taking her, fearing an explosive, violent, and deadly confrontation. Despite wanting Azula and their mother to reconnect, he held no doubts about the conclusion of such a meeting.

He loved Azula and visited her every day, except for the days he was so swamped with work that he couldn't, for, no matter what she had done as their father's enforcer, she was his sister, and he loved her. It took a long time, but he eventually found kinship with her, and they almost as close as they had been as young children—before Azula bent her first flame at three when everything changed, except Zuko's inability to bend.

Zuko found that he could speak of the pressures of Fire Lord to her. At first, she had been enraged and resentful, but she eventually revealed that she had never wanted to sit on the Dragon's Throne, not truly. She said she hated such passivity and yearned for action and to be free, which the Dragon's Throne did not and never could offer.

He agreed.

Zuko feared, though, that his mother and sister would fail to reach an agreement over anything—except, perhaps, bitterness toward Ozai. He didn't know how his mother would react upon seeing her once-proud daughter diminished to confinement in a cell because of her unstable mental state—and that didn't even involve Azula's reaction.

She was comfortable with his presence, which took years to attain due to his persistence. It had helped significantly that he confessed of his deep resentment for her after she started her firebending and was always better than him. After such honesty—which he still didn't know if she had been flattered by or empathetic with—she had revealed the abuse she suffered from Ozai after their mother left and after Zuko was banished, details that Zuko never knew nor conceived as possible—because Azula was his father's favorite.

But apparently, his father's only favorite was himself or wife, not his children.

Zuko had become so enraged by the details that he executed several of his father's advisors that he spared at the beginning of his reign.

While Azula had healed from the teetering edge she had occupied during and after Sozin's Comet, for which he blamed their father, she had stagnated and remained unpredictable. Azula would never admit that she had changed, especially if she knew the source of her beginning revival in mental purity.

Aang—The Avatar—was the source.

After a year of Azula's imprisonment, Aang wrote him, reasoning that if Azula had her bending, it would evoke healing, for Azula always thrived under goals being put before her. After consideration, Zuko agreed, especially since Azula had only been deteriorating since her imprisonment, and released the chi-blockers from Azula's room—but he still retained them outside the room in case someone came to break Azula out or if Azula herself broke out.

When Zuko announced to Azula that she would have her firebending, there was life where there had only been emptiness. Azula's golden eyes flickered with personality, and she smiled something real—a smile he hadn't seen since childhood.

He had thought it best not to mention The Avatar had given him the idea.

Thankfully, Azula had caused no trouble with her firebending since, and it almost seemed that she reverted to the Azula from their childhood—cunning, mischievous, and proud—but there were still some notable signs of mental instability.

Whenever he spoke of their mother, Azula would go stock still and order him to leave. Zuko didn't want to ruin her progress by taking his mother to see her, but part of him knew it was necessary.

Azula could only heal by confrontation, and his mother could only have the answers she needed by confrontation.

Zuko didn't want to be part of the confrontation, but he knew he had to.

"Don't hate me," he whispered to his mother as he led her to Azula's cell.

His mother became more and more suspicious. "Why?"

"Because of what I was forced to do."

Before she could reply, he stopped in front of the room, and motioned for the Imperial Firebenders and chi-blockers to leave. "Do not return until sunrise."

One of the Imperial Firebenders hesitated. "Are you sure, my liege?"

Zuko let his agitation show. "Yes."

"Of course, if that is your will."

"Of course-of course," he snapped. "Now go."

The Imperial Firebenders and chi-blockers departed, and he was left alone with his mother in front of the door to Azula's cell.

His mother glared at him, fear in her eyes. "What did you do, Zuko?"

Zuko swallowed. "Saved her from herself."

"What does that mean?" she demanded, voice rising in hysteria.

He didn't answer and placed his warm hand to the door and pressed firmly to activate the mechanism inside before his hand slid along the metal, pressing and releasing at various points, following the pattern only he and those he trusted—Uncle and now his mother—knew.

The Mechanic was quite ingenious and had been happy to design a door to Azula's cell.

"Zuko, what am I going to see?" his mother asked quietly when he was done, and the door began to open.

Zuko felt heavy and ashamed that he hadn't been able to help Azula further. "The truth."

He walked into the room, his mother followed behind, and he prepared himself.

He left the door open for a quick exit strategy.

Azula's voice greeted him upon entering. "You already visited me today, Zuzu." He felt his mother tense behind him at the sound of her voice and the nickname. "Do you miss me that much?"

He clenched his jaw; he was going to ruin her good mood. "I brought someone here to see you," he said, spacing his words due to his wariness.

His sister raised a brow, and intrigue overtook her features. "The royal seamstress? Finally. I thought you forgot."

Zuko blinked as he realized he had forgotten his promise to bring someone to decorate her cell better.

Before he could correct her, Azula continued: "Do you think I could wear something different, as well? This robe is comfortable, but I find its novelty has worn off after so long."

Zuko pinched the rim of his nose and sighed heavily. "I found her, Azula."

Immediately, his sister stilled unnaturally; she knew who he meant, for he had often tried to talk about his quest in searching for her.

Azula's eyes were wide, composure gone, lips parted in shock. "Zuzu, you jest," she accused desperately.

"Azula?"

His sister stiffened painfully, face draining of blood, and she snapped her head away as Zuko stepped to the side to reveal their mother, who had been hidden behind his larger frame. He wanted to intervene, to apologize to both of them, but he knew he couldn't. Instead, he observed, feeling awkward and tense.

Both women stood silently, one staring desperately and the other ignoring desperately. The silence was so immense and thick that Zuko half-expected it to remain that way forever.

Finally, his mother swallowed. "I know you probably hate me, Azula, and- "

"What do you know, Mother?" Azula said, voice eerily calm, still looking away; it was clearly the calm before the storm. "What possible knowledge could you have obtained when you were elsewhere? Oh, I know—you were a whore, weren't you? How else could you have obtained such knowledge unless you were a whore seducing men for their knowledge? I bet you are an excellent whore, Mother. You possess a masterful ability to depart unseen and without saying goodbye. Now I know where Zuzu gets his instinct for dalliances; he always was your boy."

Zuko felt a terrible headache originate in his skull and ignored his mother's brief searching look; he really didn't want to talk about such a habit with her. He always regretted sharing that with Azula but never more than now.

"I understand such a perception- "

Azula interrupted again, voice wavering from control. "Admit your whoring ways, Mother. Did you not demand always that I confess my errors? Do not deny it; admit it."

His mother stood still for several moments before shaking her head, though Azula didn't see it. "No, I shall not admit to something so foul. But I will always confess my errors. It was wrong to leave you- "

"Of course, it was wrong!" Azula erupted, golden eyes blazing like Sozin's Comet, glaring with full intensity at their mother, and Zuko had to restrain himself from intervening. "As was your treason that same night!"

Zuko's eyes shut at the near whimper that escaped his mother. "You know about- "

"Do you think Zuzu and I those brats you smothered?" his sister hissed. "We are mature and intelligent, not the weak brats you raised! Of course, we figured it out! We always knew."

Zuko hadn't known always, but he had figured it out eventually, before his father's story during the Day of Black Sun—a simplistic trick to buy time, which he had naively fallen for. Although, he supposed it was nice to have the confirmation from his father about what happened the night. It provided a lot of answers.

"You murdered Grandfather to save Zuzu, and you absconded into the night like the whore you are!" Azula's hands blazed with sapphire flames, alighting the room, revealing the frayed, manic expression on her face. Zuko stiffened, feeling panic and dread war inside him. He should have never agreed to this! "You left us; you abandoned us; you shamed us."

His mother shook her head. "No. It was to protect you."

"From whom?" Azula demanded, and the heat increased drastically in the cell. "From whom did we need protecting? Grandfather?"

Silence.

Zuko frowned and looked at his mother in surprise, who looked faint, like a gust of wind would break her.

"We're done here," he cut in, but Azula shrieked.

"No! See what has become of you, Zuzu, now that she has infiltrated our lives? You are back to that milquetoast you were!"

"And you're back to your insanity!" he snapped but immediately regretted it.

His mother reacted, face horrified. "Insanity?"

Azula's smile was terrible. "Did Zuzu fail to mention that, Mother? How remiss of him. I shall inform you completely. I lost my sanity after Father's increasing pressure and disregard, and there was no one there to help. Those two conniving whores, Mai and Ty Lee, betrayed me, and Zuzu was too busy planning to seize the Dragon's Throne and end Sozin's glory because he impossibly befriended The Avatar and the Water Tribe peasant-bitch."

No matter how many times he rationalized it, he still felt guilty that he wasn't there at the beginning when Azula's mind broke, only at the end.

"You understand the truth, Mother," Azula continued, "and you always have. We never needed protection from Grandfather; we needed protection from Father—and you surrendered us to him."

Zuko rubbed his chest over his scar and glared at her, anger growing. "Grandfather told Father to kill me. I remember, and so do you. You should be thankful that Mom did what she did! If Father had killed me, all his attention would have been on you, and it would be your face, which you value so much, that looks like scorched meat!"

Azula gnashed her teeth and rolled her eyes. "Zuzu, Zuzu—as dull as ever! You miss the point. Mother knew the truth and ignored it; she was—is—weak."

He felt the flames lick at his fingertips. "She managed to kill Grandfather! We know how powerful he was- "

"Again, you miss the point," Azula snapped. "This is a different kind of weakness, one not physical but mental and emotional."

"Then that's where you got it from, isn't it? You're like Mom both outwardly and inwardly!"

Azula's golden eyes widened in shock before narrowing dangerously, and Zuko prepared himself for fireballs. "And you are like Father both outwardly and inwardly, Fire Lord!"

Zuko hissed between his teeth and whirled around, stomping toward the door; his control was lost and so was the confrontation. "Mom, come on."

His mother didn't respond.

He glanced back and saw his mother in the same position she was, frozen in place, face stricken with horror. "Mom, come on," he said gently. "We need to leave."

"Is that similar to what she said to you on the night she realized her potential as a whore?" Azula wondered, voice biting and sardonic.

Zuko glared at her. "Enough, Azula- "

Azula glared back. "What will you do to stop me, Zuzu?"

His fists began to smoke. "Remember who put you here in the first place."

"The Water Tribe peasant-bitch."

Zuko felt old wounds rumble to life. "Only a bitch could judge a bitch, and you've always been quite the bitch. Remember, during the Agni Kai, you broke the rules and forfeited! I was beating you, and we both knew it. It was the knowledge that I was better than you—finally, after so many years—that broke your mind!"

A wave of blue fire roared at him, but he was ready, smashing through it. Azula's eyes were on fire just as her fists were, and she resembled the girl from the Great War, and Zuko summoned a whip of fire, prepared to entrap her—and there would be no restraint on his part!

But a large, long plume of brilliant fire shot between them, connecting with the wall to leave an awful scorch mark.

Zuko turned in shock toward his mother, who's hands held fire, and they all stared at each other, eyes roaming to and fro.

Azula laughed as she released her hold on her flames, but there was nothing amusing in it. "Quite the family you failed to raise, right, Mother?"

His mother's eyes were misty, but she stood tall—a true Fire Lady. "I know all your judgments, Azula. I hold myself accountable for my numerous failures—as Mother, Wife, and Subject."

"Really?" his sister hissed. "You hold yourself accountable for my suffering under Father's twisted hands? You hold yourself accountable for Zuzu's scar?"

"Yes."

Azula grew angrier. "But you see his! He is not the only one with scars, Mother! Do you hold yourself accountable for my scars?"

His mother sucked in a breath and her face wavered as emotions—too many to name, nonetheless recognize—flashed over her. "I should have taken you with me, my daughter—you above all."

Zuko's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "What?"

Azula looked delighted and awed. "Now I am the favorite of both Father and Mother, Zuzu! I feel… splendid."

He ignored her and stared at his mother. "What are you saying?" he demanded quietly.

"The truth," she responded, sad eyes roaming his face. "You both needed me, but she needed me more. Look at the result of my absence."

"You are looking at it!" he roared, raising a rigid finger up to his scorched face while Azula only laughed, sounding free and tranquil.

His mother flinched but she shook her head. "No. You are Fire Lord and such a strong man, the man I always knew you could be—and it was all without me. You rose to grandeur because of my folly; your sister was reduced to ruin because of my folly. She needed me more than you ever did. You have always been so strong and stayed strong; she could not."

Zuko digested those words and stepped away in consideration as Azula's smile vanished, to be replaced by something dark and odious. "I am not weak, Mother, not like you. Fuck you and your flawed reasoning!"

His mother looked tragic but serene; he had no idea how it was possible. "I take accountability for my actions. I committed heinous crimes, but you are not free from guilt, are you, Azula?"

"You know nothing!" Azula snapped. "You left us with a monster! Everything is your fault!"

"Does your father hold no blame?"

"Not as much as you."

His mother's face pinched, and Zuko had no idea what to expect; clearly, his expectations were as impossible as Sozin's. "Am I to blame for your crimes?"

"My crimes have their source in your crimes!"

"Am I why you tried to murder The Avatar in Ba Sing Se?"

Zuko's good eyebrow rose in surprise; he was unaware his mother knew of those events.

Azula rolled her eyes, but her fists were clenched painfully. "How arrogant you are, Mother, presuming everything is to do with you. How conceited."

"You said Zuko befriended The Avatar- "

"The traitor," his sister muttered, glaring at him with poison, and Zuko rolled his eyes; it was clearly a show to antagonize their mother. During their conversations, he had confessed of his meeting with Aang and the Gaang, and Azula had found it hilarious how terrible it went. She loved the image of him as a prisoner.

"- but why did you not join him?" his mother wondered.

"I would never betray Father and his pursuit for Sozin's glory!"

His mother looked so sad. "But your father betrayed you first, Azula."

"You betrayed me first! At least I had the strength to stay and not flee like a whore!"

"Strength to stay, or fear to leave?"

Zuko found himself nodding in agreement. The notion of leaving had been terrifying and kept him awake for long nights.

Azula stiffened. "Strength," she insisted adamantly.

His mother raised a brow as tears fell down her cheeks. "Such 'strength' caused your mind to break, my precious daughter."

"You were not there to prevent it."

"I was not," she agreed, looking worn. "But I am not the only one to blame, Azula."

His sister smiled coldly. "Aren't you?"

Finally, his mother showed a flash of anger. "Do you think you would survive Court with such a mindset? They would sense it and eat you alive."

Azula looked offended—and furious, of course. "I infiltrated Ba Sing Se and fooled the Water Tribe peasant-bitch."

His mother's gaze was old. "You are not that good an actress, Azula."

"How would you know, since you were gone?"

"You have been unable to conceal your hurt, pain, distrust, and anger since you knew I was here."

"And you have been unable to conceal your despair."

His mother's resulting smile was frayed. "Then we are both failures, yes?"

Azula's hands alighted again. "I am no failure."

"Why are you here if not for failure?"

"I am here because of your failure."

More tears spilled down his mother's cheeks. "I should have taken you with me. Even though we would have been caught, I should have done so, but I was weak. After I killed Azulon, I was in a panic that I had never yet experienced, and the only thought I had was survival."

Azula's flames had become hotter, glowing brighter. "And yet, you found the time to say goodbye to Zuko!"

He had winced and rubbed his heart, as if physically wounded, which is what it had felt like. He had never known that Azula knew about that, and he didn't know that she had been envious, although it made sense.

"I did not think you wanted a goodbye."

Azula's face expressed the shock that Zuko felt.

His mother sniffed and hugged herself. "I had already been rejected that night; I could not bear a rejection from my beautiful daughter, not on the worst day of my life."

Azula recovered quickly. "Spare me," she dismissed.

"But you refuse to spare me!" his mother snapped. "I am not the only one to blame! Did you ever give me a reason to think that you would miss me or cherish a goodbye after you rejected me time and time again in favor of your father? You wanted nothing to do with me, and it was never more apparent than those last two years before that night. Yes, I should have cast aside my feelings and said goodbye, but- "

"You thought I was a monster!"

"I thought you were troubled and walking down a dangerous path," his mother corrected gently, beginning to approach Azula, slowly like she was a Dragon. "What was I supposed to think, Azula? You wanted nothing to do with me—because you were too much like me. You were drawn to your father just as I was, just as Zuko, who bears so many similarities with his father, was drawn to me, just as Ozai was. I tried to help you, but you refused to listen to me. You were too clever for your own good—still are."

"Get out!" Azula screeched, face wild and panicked; the candles in the room exploded with sapphire flames. "You are nothing but a cheap, lazy whore!"

Zuko adjusted his stance in preparation as his mother ignored Azula's warning, approaching still, getting closer and closer. "You are mine, Azula, and you always will be."

Azula shook her head, breathing heavily; her golden eyes were misty. "No. You never wanted me."

"I never wanted a daughter so prideful and a son so angry, but you are still mine. I want you, all of you, even the absurd and insane—because you are mine."

His sister's squeezed her eyes shut and her breathing stuttered, trying to force away the sobs. "No."

"Yes."

Before he could react, his mother lunged toward Azula and pulled her into her chest for an embrace. Zuko could scarcely move, unable to even draw breath into his airways. He wondered if an unforeseen Airbender was reaping vengeance on him for Sozin's crimes, stealing the air from his lungs.

"You whore! Let me go!" Azula screamed, bucking and twisting, shrieking with an animalistic intensity eerily similar to the day of Sozin's Comet after Katara put her in chains. "I swear on The Avatar himself that I will kill you!"

Zuko stepped forward in worry, but he realized that Azula had not fulfilled such a vow, for she had not summoned any flames to wound their mother or kill her.

To his immense relief, his mother let go of Azula, but instead of stepping away, she kneeled gracefully before his sister, golden eyes flooded with tears. "If that is your wish."

He gasped and rushed forward, fingers digging into his mother's arm, pulling her back. "No!" he roared, voice booming in the cell with a horrifying echo. "What the fuck are you doing?"

His mother grimaced and pulled herself out of his grip—because he let her. "No, you have no say, Zuko." She wasn't even looking at him, only at Azula! "This is between Azula and I."

"Then you're as insane as she is!" he yelled, staring fearfully at Azula's frozen form, sapphire flames dancing across her fingertips. "Stop it! Stop this!"

"No."

"I'm Fire Lord! I order you to stop!"

His mother glanced at him, something indescribable in her face. "No. I shall not obey a Fire Lord's order ever again."

Zuko snatched her arm again, face twisting. "No to your 'no'. I'm not letting this happen."

"My beautiful boy, it never worked when your father did it, and it is not going to work for you." His mother's face softened. "You must trust me, okay? This is my wish- "

"It's your final testament!"

"If Azula kills me, no harm will come to her."

Zuko tried to comprehend the incomprehensible. "No, this is- "

"Promise me no harm will come to her if she kills me."

"Never! There's no fucking way I'm going to- "

His mother finally glared at him, and the resemblance to Azula at that moment stole his breath, for it was so ironic and terrifying. "You will, and you will not regret it, I promise. Now you promise me."

The look of determination and resolve in her eyes impossibly convinced him, deflating his anger but not his fear. "Fine."

"Swear on Agni."

"I swear on Agni."

"And The Avatar."

"Seriously?" Zuko demanded in disbelief. "I know The Avatar! He's my friend! He'd be mortified people swear on his existence about things."

"Swear."

Zuko grit his teeth. "I swear on The Avatar."

He hoped Aang would miraculously appear and put a stop to the madness because Zuko clearly couldn't, but Aang was nowhere to be found.

His mother nodded, pleased, and turned back to Azula, who remained frozen, eyes hazy, and Zuko was afraid that she had broken again, that all the work she made had deteriorated. "Azula, I put my life in your hands." She kneeled in front of Azula, face kind and serene. "You swore on The Avatar himself to kill me. Here is your opportunity, my beautiful love."

Azula finally blinked, and her eyes filled with an immoral glow. "I accept."

Zuko watched in terror, physically forcing himself to remain restrained, biting his fist, as Azula's flaming hands reached toward their mother's vulnerable face. He wanted to turn away, away from the knowledge that he had sentenced his mother to death and caused Azula's mind to break again, but he couldn't. His eyes were riveted on the sight.

Azula's burning fingertips stopped just a hair from their mother's face, and she froze, flames dying; her eyes twitched as tears filled them and devastation ravished her stricken face.

Zuko almost collapsed from the relief coursing through him.

Their mother gently wrapped her fingers around Azula's shaking hands. "It is okay, Azula; I am here, and I am not leaving."

Azula jerked back as if she were the one who burned. "Get out!" she screamed hysterically, and her eyes latched onto him. "Get her out of here! Take her away!"

A massive fireball followed her command, and Zuko smacked it to the side, where it connected with the cell wall. Before his sister could change her mind about her decision, Zuko immediately grabbed his mother by the arm, yanked her out of the room, and slammed the door shut.

Thankfully, the Imperial Firebenders and chi-blockers had returned—probably a result of the screaming and yelling.

Zuko pointed at them and then at the door. "No one is to go in there until I command. And no one is to speak a word of anything that you might have heard? If either of these commands are broken, it will be you I feed to my wrath!"

They all nodded and took up their standard positions.

Zuko looked at his mother and noticed that the tears had begun again, but he knew its source was relief. It had been just as bad as he had feared, but an essential truth had been realized—Azula wasn't going to kill their mother.

"You're definitely who she got the insanity from," he said, breathing heavily, trying to ease the massive stress that had overtaken his heart.

"Probably," his mother agreed softly.

He tried not to feel guilty.

Quickly taking her along the corridors until they reached his chambers, he led her inside, past the Imperial Firebenders, who bowed at the sight of him.

The dragon-like door shut behind them.

Silence.

Zuko took off his crown and gently placed it on the mantle above the fire. running a hand over his face in exhaustion, he looked at his mother. She stood out on the balcony, looking at nothing but also everything. He walked over and stood next to her. Neither said a word—until the silence was pierced.

"I could have prepared you better," he muttered. "I'm sorry."

His mother wiped away tears. "I would have refused to believe it."

Zuko's fists clenched. "I didn't know you were suicidal."

"At that moment, I was," she whispered. "A mother's grief and a mother's guilt—there is no fire like it."

"Did you know she wouldn't do it?"

His mother sat down on the cushion, finding his gaze. "I had faith. But if she killed me, I was ready."

Zuko released a tense breath, bitterness and dissatisfaction warring through him. "Because I'm not good enough, right?"

"Zuko- "

"No, you would have let her kill you just to please her and give her happiness—however brief it is—while you would have let me pick up all the pieces!" Zuko felt a hysterical laugh escape him, and he felt insane. "Now I know how Father felt when you left. I understand that son of a bitch. I never wanted that understanding!"

His mother looked guilty and sad. "That night was the worst of my life."

"I imagine it was actually Grandfather's," Zuko snapped, turning away from her.

"Then you lack imagination," she replied hollowly.

"No, Grandfather lacks imagination—because you killed him!"

His mother raised an exhausted brow. "Do you blame me for that, too?"

Zuko scrunched his face in an effort to maintain his rage, but he sighed. "Of course not. You saved my life."

"If only that were true."

He whirled back to face her, astounded. "What? You don't have to pretend, Mom. I know what happened."

"You do not."

Zuko frowned. "You killed Grandfather Azulon because he told Father he needed to kill me for mocking Uncle's grief over Lu Ten."

His mother bowed her head. "I do not have the strength for this conversation."

"Yes, you do. What happened? I was going to be killed. Right?"

"No."

Zuko sank to the cushion opposite of her, trying to understand. "What? I know Grandfather told Father to kill me. Father told me about it, and it verified what Azula was saying that night."

His mother moaned and shook her head. "Of course, he told you the same deception he told me."

"Again, what? Tell me what happened! Grandfather Azulon was a monster who- "

"Fire Lord Azulon was a great man and proud grandfather," his mother interrupted, eyes filling with fire and intensity; it took him aback, for such an expression seemed wrong on his mother. "He was worthy and honorable- "

"He told Father to kill me!"

"He did not!" his mother snapped. "It was your father's lie to provoke me to act against Azulon, to put your father on the Dragon's Throne."

Zuko tried to register everything he heard and blinked hard. "Wait. What?"

"Think it over," his mother encouraged, eyes pained.

He did and felt his astonishment and hysteria grow. Something he had carried with him and believed for years was being threatened, because it was a lie. "So… it was a lie? The whole thing? Grandfather Azulon didn't want me dead?"

"Why would he order your death, Zuko?"

"Because, clearly, he thought I was a failure."

"He thought you had a lot of potential," his mother whispered, voice distant, and Zuko thought he heard wrong. When he realized he didn't, he felt even more astounded. Grandfather Azulon had never conveyed such a thing, not in his memory. "Azulon was wise, and he shared with me that he tired of the Great War; he only continued it out of a sense of love and obligation to his father; he sought its end through diplomacy many times, but he was rejected at every turn by Earth and Water. He had seen so much, lived so much, and experienced so much. Why would he order the death of his promising grandson, who was only ten, especially when he had just lost his other grandson?"

"Because I was having so much trouble bending," Zuko responded after flailing for several moments. The logic in her statements had never occurred to him. "I was a disgrace to Sozin's line."

His mother stared at him in disappointment. "The only disgrace is that you believed such nonsense."

"He never said a fucking word about how proud he was or that he thought I had potential!"

"A mistake on his part, but he was only human—and a busy one being Fire Lord, especially with Earth being so stubborn and Water so resilient."

Zuko felt a sense of loss pervade him. He had spent so many years resenting and hating his grandfather, thinking about him often, because he thought he knew of his grandfather's disgust for him. But now he learned that Grandfather Azulon never wanted him dead. If Grandfather had lived, maybe they could have had something, just maybe.

"Why did he never say anything?" he whispered, feeling vulnerable.

His mother smiled sadly. "The limits of his disposition, I suspect. He was always most formal—his greatest strength and greatest weakness—and with him being so much older than you, I doubt he knew how to even speak with you. But he paid attention to your progress and lessons, reading over the reports of the tutors and instructors, and he asked me about you quite often."

The sense of loss only grew. "So, he didn't want me dead because of my late bending?"

"Of course not. Yes, your late bending was troubling, especially since you had reached your seventh year before it manifested, but Azulon was not concerned about it."

"Unlike Father," he muttered, memories coming to him.

"Azulon was unconcerned because Sozin did not bend until he was six."

Zuko blinked rapidly in disbelief at such an unthinkable notion. "What?"

"And your father was the same," his mother continued. "Azulon was more worried about Azula—as was I—because the brightest flame, the fastest flame, is always at the greatest risk of burning out all the quicker. We talked about it and possible solutions. But those solutions were never realized—because of me and my weakness, my foolishness."

He tried but failed to wrap his head around it all. "Wait… Did Uncle know any of this?"

His mother raised a shoulder in defeat. "I cannot say. I find it likely he did not."

"Uncle knows everything," Zuko defended automatically.

"Azulon propagated a mythical status of his father—such was his adoration for him. Anything that belied such a legendary, perfect perception of Sozin was obliterated from memory. I only know because I read my grandfather's journals, in which he described his early firebending lessons with Sozin, who always fell behind, and I never broached Sozin's late firebending with Azulon."

"That's not what I meant. Did he know what happened… that night?"

"Iroh has always been very intelligent," his mother responded after several moments. "He probably does not know the exact details but understands enough."

Zuko found his agitation growing. "Then tell me—what happened that night?"

XxXxXxXxXxX

Ursa stared at her son, so mature and strong, so young and desperate. "What happened?" she echoed and felt a hysterical laugh bubble inside. "What happened is a woman in love."

Her son nodded, clearly not understanding. "Yeah, you loved your son."

She shook her head. "I said woman, not mother."

Within moments, her son grimaced. "You mean…"

Ursa felt haunted. "Your father," she confirmed softly. "I loved him and was in love with him, and I loved my children. I trusted him. When he said your life was threatened, I believed him, even though I loved Azulon as my own father. Love blinds just as it illuminates, and it blinded me that night. What happened is my fault."

"No, it's not- "

She shook her head. "Do not recite worthless platitudes, Zuko. I have ruminated on that night and my choices more than you know. It is my fault—because I should have known. I saw the signs of what your father was becoming, and I ignored them, for I thought nothing of it all. It did not concern me. I was mainly worried about Azula and her growing pride and inability to simply be a child. Ozai always held immense pride, but his pride had its source in his shame. Because of his shame, his pride never controlled him; he was in control. Azula never had shame to control her pride, and she just could not be a child, could not be her age. It worried me deeply. And I was worried for you and your struggles, especially with your temper."

Her son nodded. "I was angry."

"You still are."

Her son looked bashful. "Well, I'm more in control now."

"That is good. Do you still want to know what happened that night?"

"I've thought Grandfather Azulon wanted me dead for years and that Father was going to commit the deed. Yes, I need to know."

Ursa felt heartache at such knowledge, but she nodded. "Your father tricked me. When Azula told me that he was planning to kill you, I confronted him, and he admitted he was going to do it, follow Azulon's 'alleged' order. He preyed on my maternal instincts, knowing I would react rather than act. We created the plan to assassinate Sozin's son." She hid the sign of her clenched fingers underneath her robe. "I would kill Azulon, freeing your father from the sin in Agni's sight, and free the Dragon's Throne for his ascension. I snuck in through the secret passage and thought him asleep." She looked down at her hands, which she remembered holding the containment of powder. "The plan was to manipulate him into drinking a poisoned cup of tea."

"But it was more complex."

She nodded and remembered:

Ursa inhaled deeply and exited the secret passage, powder concealed in the small vial in her palm. She had rehearsed her lines during her journey through the secret passage, remembering Ozai's sober warning that Age had robbed the Great Azulon of his wisdom, for he demanded the death of her precious and beloved Zuko!

It was unthinkable and absurd, but Ozai had said it with such resignation and lack of emotion that she knew it to be true. Whenever her husband was overwhelmed by his emotions, he shut down and was devoid of them in his utterances. She had demanded he turn back from such a foul and depraved path, but he had been lifeless, wondering how he could go against his father, the Fire Lord.

She loved Azulon as her own father, and the fact he demanded something so monstrous to her beloved son was agonizing beyond description, but she knew Ozai felt worse. Despite his problems with Zuko, she knew he loved him deeply and only wanted what was best for their son. She wanted to ask him to be the one to kill Azulon, but she knew she had to do it—it was her burden as Mother and Wife. Even though she and Azulon were very close and played pai sho together every day—she could not think of that! She could not think of how he always ate with her and the children when he could spare the time.

She was going to kill the man she saw as her own father, who was her actual father-in-law, her children's grandfather, the Fire Lord himself, Sozin's son. The impossible quest nearly threatened her drive, but her maternal fire burned brighter than Agni himself, and she persisted in her quest, preparing on the fly as best she could.

Ozai had been the one to suggest the poison, and she was grateful for her husband—for he knew she could not bear physically killing Azulon with firebending, even if it were possible.

Ursa approached Azulon's bed, prepared to wake him and implore him for a late conversation over tea, but when she reached the bed, Azulon was not there.

Suddenly, candles flared to life across the room, and Ursa stiffened in panicked horror—she was discovered!

The conundrum was the worst possible option available to her! She could try—and fail—to fight Azulon, but he was the Fire Lord himself, a man with ninety years of experience. Ursa knew that she was talented, a prodigy admitted to the Royal Academy, but she stood no chance against the Fire Lord, against Sozin's son. A victory against him was unthinkable. She had achieved feats only those of the Royal Fire Bloodline had achieved, and it was how she met Azulon. He had taken an immediate interest in her and had swiftly introduced her to Ozai—and later she had learned that his reasons stemmed from placing a stabilizing influence in his second son's life. She had fallen in love with Ozai, and a few months later, they were married with Zuko on the way.

They had only been sixteen years old.

Before she created a scene due to her panic, she was interrupted.

"Daughter," Azulon's familiar voice greeted from the side. Once, his voice would have evoked comfort and joy, but now it only evoked horror and distrust, rage and determination, all of which she managed to conceal beneath a mask of respectful geniality. "I wondered when you would get here."

Ursa slowly turned to him with a forced smile. "You expected me, Father."

Azulon looked up from a scroll—one of the epic romances he was so fond of—and chuckled, and she marveled in horror at the apathy of a man she had once thought capable of deep emotion. "How could I not? Big events have transpired that will provoke many questions by our race, least of all Earth and Water—if they care. But we must be united as a family. It is no surprise to see you here—you have always possessed much political acumen."

Apparently, she possessed little political acumen, considering Azulon was willing to order his second grandson's death after his first grandson's death, but she nodded and approached slowly, as if nothing were wrong, as if her understanding and perception of him had not been forever altered.

"I thought answers from the source would be beneficial," she said slowly, keeping her grip on the vial concealed under her robes. "This affects me most intimately."

"Indeed. I know this saddens you, Ursa, but it is necessary," Azulon explained, and she almost scoffed, not expecting such justifications from Azulon, but had she truly ever known him? "I know this is confusing, but if you allow me to explain, all will make sense, and I think you will agree with the path I have chosen."

Ursa wanted to rage and erupt in fury. But she remained composed—as a true Princess of Fire.

"Iroh still has yet to return, and my agents have lost track him. I am worried at his state of mind following Lu Ten's demise," Azulon said, voice drifting in a mixture of sadness and control. "It seems clear to me that, because of Lu Ten's death and the events surrounding it, the dynamics of our family have changed, and they must change further."

Ursa felt her confusion growing, especially when she tried to realize how this made sense with ordering Zuko's death. "I do not understand."

"Your son's destiny has changed, Daughter."

Her performance cracked, and she would have lashed out with lightning, but she was not calm enough—nowhere near calm enough! "You expect me to be happy and grateful about this?"

Azulon frowned in bemusement, looking like such a possibility had never occurred to him. "Yes."

Ursa felt her hands shake, and she tried to smile; she was clearly never going to get the answers she wanted. "Forgive me, but before we continue this, I need some tea. Would you like some?"

"Of course," Azulon said, leaning back. "You know its location."

"I do," she agreed and stood to her feet, quickly making her way to the tea set. "Ilah's blend?" she asked as she began making the tea, already knowing the answer. From how often Azulon mentioned it, it was impossible to forget—Sozin hooked his only surviving daughter and grandson on tea, whereas his son in Azulon never approved of it.

Until Sozin and Ilah were gone, for he found comfort and solace in drinking tea, feeling closer to his dead father and wife—for brief moments.

"Yes. I hope she thinks I made the right decision today."

Ursa almost shattered the tea, but her voice did not shake as she poured the powder into Azulon's tea and mixed. "You do what is best for Fire, Father."

"Indeed—the burden of Agni's chosen. But you know Ozai in ways I do not, Daughter. How did he seem to you this evening? I wonder if such punishment is too lenient, even for one of my blood."

She violently shook the vial, ensuring that the last of the poison was in the tea. "He was disappointed and resigned; he seemed overwhelmed and shut down."

"Finally," Azulon muttered. "I have tried to reach him for so long, and it is only now, after it is too late, much too late considering his crime, that he seems to understand."

"I wish things were different, Father," she said, not truly listening, finally finished mixing the tea.

"As do I, Daughter. Ozai has always caused me such stress and worry, such strife and grief," Azulon murmured as she approached. "But he must learn that his decisions have consequences, especially for something so foul. I still have no idea how to explain it all to Iroh; he will be crushed. A Fire Lord does what is best for the Fire Nation—and this is best. It is a necessary evil, unfortunately."

Ursa was sick of hearing Azulon's rationalized justifications.

"I hope you enjoy it," she said as she handed his tea to him.

Azulon smiled and took a long sip. "You made it, Daughter. Of course, I enjoy it. Ilah would have enjoyed you."

"And I her," Ursa responded, taking a small sip of her own tea while Azulon took another long sip. "But this is the only way, the only path."

"If only it were not," Azulon agreed. "I tried with Ozai, but I will not fail with his son, my only grandson left."

Ursa narrowly held her outrage back, for Azulon could still easily kill her, despite her own prodigious bending. What chance did she have against Sozin's son, who mastered lightning before his fifteenth year? Ursa had never mastered it until Azulon himself helped her through it only a couple of years ago, and then she taught Ozai, who took to lightning with astonishing success.

"Lu Ten's death made me see clearly. It was a father's folly—my folly; a grandfather's folly—that resulted in Lu Ten's death."

She almost laughed hysterically. So, Azulon had succumbed to madness and was out to sabotage the Fire Nation from within, ordering the deaths of his two grandsons. It was all so clear in its obscurity!

"It was," she said, unable to help the vicious quality of her words.

Azulon glanced at her sadly. "I deserve your ire, Daughter. I have made mistakes that are only now apparent to me. I have been far too lenient. Ozai crossed a forbidden line that threatened our family's stability, and I had to act. That is why you are here—because you know the truth."

"Yes. Lu Ten's death provoked your madness," Ursa snapped. "How could you order such a thing?"

"His death provoked my clarity," Azulon responded slowly, assessing her with critical eyes. "I understand your indignation, but you must listen to understand."

"Yes, Father," she said, smiling tightly.

"The nature of Lu Ten's death was questionable, and it aroused my suspicion. I investigated keenly, and my fears were confirmed. Lu Ten was assassinated, targeted specifically by the Dai Li."

Ursa did not understand why Azulon wanted to speak about Lu Ten when he had ordered the murder of his other grandson, but she played along—as she must. "It makes sense. Lu Ten was a strong warrior and of Sozin's line. His death would motivate the Children of Earth in the war- "

Azulon looked at her pityingly and interrupted: "I do not speak of war, Daughter; I speak of politics."

She nearly erupted and demanded to know why he demanded Zuko's death if he was so concerned about politics, but she refrained. "I do not understand."

"I speak of mercantile men who love coin rather than nation," Azulon continued. "It has long been known that the Dai Li are corrupt. Some of them would kill their mothers for the right price—most shameful."

"Most shameful," she echoed, something foreboding rising inside her.

"Years ago, my father had an informant within the Dai Li whom he paid generously for information. But that informant betrayed him and cost us in lives. We lost several squadrons because of his misinformation, and my father swore to never deal with the Dai Li again, and I have abided by such an oath, and so has Iroh, who has never thought to do otherwise. But I was not vigilant; I failed to monitor the communications, and Lu Ten paid the price."

"What are you talking about, Father?" she demanded.

Azulon narrowed his eyes, and a deep frown creased his face. "I thought Ozai told you."

"He told me enough."

"But evidently not all," Azulon muttered in distaste. "My fatal failing is trusting both my sons when only one has cultivated such trust. I should have reached this decision years ago."

"I never thought you would order Ozai to do such a thing!" she exploded, unable to quell her tongue any longer—nor her anguish. "How could you? My son is innocent; I have succeeded, and he shall become a greater Fire Lord than you!"

Azulon stared at her incomprehensibly. "Ozai paid the Dai Li to assassinate Lu Ten."

Silence.

Ursa inhaled sharply in horror, realization bursting in her mind, outrage forgotten. "No. Ozai would never- "

"I have the documents." Azulon held out the scroll she had thought was one of the epic romances. "What did you think I was reviewing before you came here?"

She snatched the scroll from his hand, performance forgotten, and the script on the parchment was damning and horrifying. Azulon was not lying—there was clear evidence of obscene amounts of money withdrawn from the Treasury and sent to a merchant company, which was a subsidiary for the Dai Li, the same subsidiary that Sozin had used in his dealings with the Dai Li, according to the detailed notes and records.

Only four people in the Fire Nation were allowed access to such sums of money from the Treasury—Azulon, Iroh, Ozai, and the Minister of Finance. But only one had the audacity and ambition to withdrawal such a massive amount and send it to the Dai Li.

She felt the blood drain from her face, and her hands shook. "No, no."

Azulon nodded in sympathy. "Yes, I know. It is entirely unforgivable. Normally, I would execute for such a crime. But our family is already in mourning. And he is my son; he deserves death, certainly, but… I cannot order it to befall Ilah's son."

He began to take another sip of his tea.

Ursa panicked, lunged forward, and knocked the teacup out of his hand; there was little splash.

"What are you- "

"Poison!" she screamed, breathing elevated, and she could barely breathe! "Agni, I poisoned you, Father! Oh, he tricked me! He tricked me! No, no, Ozai," she moaned in anguish, tears springing in her eyes. "Ozai, no. My love, how could you?"

Silence.

Azulon merely stared at the shattered teacup on the ground. "A cunning strategy, Daughter," he observed distantly. "Out of all the assassins to befall me, including the Scourge of Fire himself, the one to succeed is my daughter—and with tea, no less. Ilah would be amused by the irony if not horrified."

"Forgive me," she whispered, clapping a hand over her mouth as the emotions overcame her; the tears blurred her vision severely. "Oh, Father, I'm sorry."

Finally, Azulon looked at her, and she crumbled under the judgment on his face, the anger and hurt. "I had always expected such treachery from Ozai—but never you, Daughter."

"He tricked me!" Ursa cried out, but her voice was shrill. "I was doing what I had to, Father! I thought I had no other choice!"

Azulon's face contorted. "You trusted the wrong man, Princess Ursa."

She wilted under his gaze, which filled with fire. "I am more shameful than the Dai Li."

"Indeed. The parallels with my death and Lu Ten's are fascinating," Azulon commended begrudgingly. "This is quite a power play by Ozai; I did not think he had it in him."

"Neither did I," she whispered, more tears flowing.

"He pulled all these strings." Azulon sounded impressed, but Ursa only felt horror. "He has positioned himself perfectly; it is quite admirable. He is my son."

"I am sorry," Ursa repeated, unsure of what else to say. She had failed fundamentally.

Azulon considered her. "You said he tricked you. How?"

A fresh wave of tears descended, and she sniffed. "Azula eavesdropped after the presentation today- "

"Of course, she did. She has all your cunning and strategy but none of your restraint; in that way, and only that way, is she her father's daughter."

Ursa swallowed. "Azula said that Ozai was going to kill Zuko. I went to Ozai and demanded the truth, confronting him. He told me that you had ordered him to kill his firstborn so that you would know the pain of losing his firstborn just as Iroh- "

Azulon's eyes flashed, and she was reminded that he was Sozin's son. "And you believed such nonsense? You are more a fool than you thought I was!"

The grief and horror made her waver. "I'm sorry."

"Daughter, how could you lose yourself to such stupidity? How could you believe me so foolish?" Azulon's face contorted in rage and disgust, under which there was agonizing wonder and disbelief. "Our family just lost Lu Ten, second-in-line to the Dragon's Throne behind Iroh! We need to show unity to our race, not prolicide and parricide! We do not commit such sins, not anymore! The Cousins' War ended centuries ago! Ordering Zuko's death does not provide stability and comfort to Fire! And why, under Agni's light, would I order Zuko's death when he is my grandson, my own flesh and blood? Even before this, Ozai was far more deserving of such a fate than Zuko possibly could be, and I have spared Ozai. Are you that good an actress, Daughter? Are you so skilled that you can conceal your disgust and low opinion of me for so long without my knowledge? For that is the only explanation for how you could believe such nonsense!"

"No, I am a terrible actress, Father," she whispered.

"And yet you played the role of a driven and astonished women so perfectly when you came in here."

"Because I was!" Ursa cried out desperately. "I believed Ozai; I believed my husband. I was scared and acted hastily without thought to logic. My only thought was Zuko."

"Indeed," Azulon scoffed. "Yet, you seemed to reach the conclusion that I would be willing to order his death so easily. My own grandson, Princess Ursa." He leaned forward, golden eyes consuming her. "My own grandson. You perceived me capable of doing such a monstrous deed, and, tellingly, you perceived Ozai as capable of committing it."

Ursa shook her head. "No. Ozai is many things, but he would never do such a thing."

Azulon considered her words before he shook his head, as well. "You know him in many ways; you know him in ways that I do not, but it has never occurred to you that I know him in ways that you do not. I watched him come into this world, and I watched the consequences of his existence that followed—and follow still."

"He would never kill Zuko," she repeated adamantly. "He wants what is best for our son. He wants Zuko on the Dragon's Throne."

Azulon chuckled, and it was dark and biting. "Ozai wants what is best for himself, and he wants the Dragon's Throne for himself and then for Zuko."

Ursa hesitated. "He does desire power. But what man would not desire the Dragon's Throne."

"A wise one," Azulon responded seriously. "But Ozai played his role perfectly, and he need not worry anymore. The Dragon's Throne shall be his; Iroh is not here to fight him, and whenever he returns, I suspect he will put up no fight. And then Zuko will follow his father in time. You did this to ensure your son's safety, Daughter, but your actions are redundant. I had already taken actions to ensure young Zuko's future."

She swallowed. "What do you mean, Father?"

"I did not lie when I said your son's destiny has changed. Agni saw fit to bring Lu Ten home much sooner than anticipated, clearing the way for Zuko. It is his destiny; he shall be Fire Lord."

"You took actions?" she echoed hollowly. "You were not going to exclude Ozai's lineage from the Dragon's Throne?"

"Of course not, only Ozai," Azulon snapped. "If you had only waited, Daughter, and not been so emotional, so rash and weak. After today's debacle in the throne room, Ozai requested a private audience with me. He tried to fool me just as he fooled you, Princess Ursa, but I was unmoved, unlike you. He tried to convince me to name him Crown Prince."

Ursa's eyes widened in dread. "No."

"Yes. His reasoning was most callous. He cited that because Iroh no longer had an heir, his bloodline would die out, especially since he would not wish to remarry."

She gasped, features paling in the light. "No, no! Ozai would never…" Ursa trailed off, though, when she realized that what she had just said was a lie; the realization that Ozai would attempt to seize the Dragon's Throne ahead of Iroh flushed through her. Her husband was no longer the man she had married and fallen in love with—even though she still loved him deeply.

Ursa had always known that Ozai desired the Dragon's Throne but had never put much thought into his ambition to realize his desire. She swallowed as she realized that Ozai would do anything—assassinate his nephew and father through manipulation, putting their marriage at risk—to seize the Crown.

She scrubbed her face. "Why did you wait?" she demanded, voice cracking. "If you knew he… paid the Dai Li to assassinate Lu Ten, why wait? Why let it reach this point?"

Azulon leaned back. "I did not know how to proceed. He is my son. Despite your despicable belief that I am capable of murdering my grandson, I could not order Ozai's execution—as I should have. I love both of my sons, Daughter, even when one deserves none of it. It was not until he betrayed Iroh so blatantly that my decision was made, in the moment, and I thought was perfect. It vexes me that I failed to think of such a solution sooner."

"What decision?" Ursa asked, afraid of the answer because all the answers seemed too monstrous to bear.

"I did tell Ozai that he would know the pain of losing his firstborn as Iroh did. But murder was not my intention. My intention was to give Zuko and Azula to Iroh for him to raise as his own. I told Ozai I knew of his treachery and despise it; I told him he had one day to put his affairs in order, spend one last night with you and your body, and say goodbye to his children. I was going to disinherit him completely—losing his place in the line of succession and all titles as my second son—and exile him to the Earth Kingdom."

Shock erupted through Ursa's mind as she sat there, frozen. "And you thought he would be honest and tell me of his guilt?" she said in disbelief. "That is absurd!"

"We both committed grave mistakes that only benefit Ozai, Daughter," Azulon conceded, voice ancient but somehow amused. "I trusted him when I should not have; I have always trusted him when I should not have. My fatal failing—literally."

Ursa found nothing amusing about the situation, and she fell to her knees before Azulon after she realized how terribly Ozai betrayed her, how foolish and weak he made her look. "Father, my sorrow cannot express how terribly I have wronged you. I will admit, under my own power, that my intention was to assassinate you. I have always been your humble and loving servant, but you know as well as I do, that being a mother has been my first and foremost duty, as it should be." Her eyes locked onto Azulon's. "I am most fond of you, Father, always have been. You have treated me with such kindness, as if I was your own blood, but when it comes to my children's safety being compromised, I would do anything to make certain that the threat was neutralized or destroyed, no matter who the threat is. I see the folly now in trusting Ozai's words, that he had preyed on my maternal instincts, knowing that I would fail to see clearly. I hope that you find it in your heart to forgive me."

Azulon said nothing for several moments, and he seemed tired; the poison was working. "The plan was for you and Iroh then to marry and sire more children. I would have forced him, provoking his loyalty to me, making him see that our family was on the brink of disaster, and only a marriage would mend the wounds created by Ozai."

Ursa was numb, frozen in place. Her husband had manipulated her into killing his own father, and judging by the pallor of Azulon's features, she would soon be his murderer, and all she felt was such sorrow and rage that it threatened to overwhelm her. "Father, I… am so sorry," she choked out, feeling the tears return.

"I see that you are not at fault. The blame lies at Ozai's feet." He gestured to the shattered teacup, "I am quite impressed that you pulled this off, despite myself, Daughter." Azulon chuckled quietly, and then his features hardened; strength was carved into his face although his death neared. "My time is coming but know that the blame is not yours. You are guilty, but not to blame. Next to Ilah and Iroh, I have always regarded you with great fondness. Know that I forgive you, Daughter, but Agni shall not—not without severe repentance."

She bowed her head, feeling the burden on her soul increase. "Yes, Father."

"You will soon have murdered Agni's chosen ruler, anointed by Fire himself, and committed patricide, something not seen in our nation since the weeks after my father's birth."

Ursa closed her eyes and nodded her head in acceptance. "I will humbly abide by whatever you see fit, Father, even if it is execution. As long as my children are safe."

"I presume you were to return to him after you killed me."

"Yes."

Something dark and menacing flashed across Azulon's face. "Since I first witnessed your excellence in the Academy, your greatness has been clear. Thus, your penance must be great, and it must be unbearable to Ozai."

"Father?"

"Ever since he laid eyes on you, he has loved you fiercely, and you have stood by his side, anchoring him and tempering his worst traits."

"Clearly not," she murmured bitterly.

"Because you lost your husband's love, Princess Ursa," Azulon decreed. "That is no one's fault but yours. You failed in your duty, and this is the result. As punishment to you both, I order you to flee immediately from the Caldera after I pass. It is your decision if you wish to take your children with you but know that if you do take Prince Zuko and Princess Azula with you, the entire world—history itself—shall know of your crime."

Ursa swallowed in shame, the grief compounding her senses as she realized she would never see her children again. "Yes, Father. I will go alone."

Azulon smiled, and Ursa remembered she was in the presence of a great man's son, the man who had conquered Air and pushed back against Water and Earth's onslaught. "Regardless, Ozai will slowly but surely go mad without you by his side, and there is no better vengeance I can reap on my son than this."

"Yes, Father."

"You will never be able to return to the Caldera unless your son, the future Fire Lord, seeks you out, Daughter. You will stay at one of my homes in the Eastern Province—my gift to Ilah for Iroh—a place that Ozai would never expect and would never consider for he despises the place. Do you understand the depths of your punishment, Princess Ursa?"

Ursa nodded, somber. "Yes, Father, I do. If it takes my banishment to put my son on the Dragon's Throne, I would do it a thousand times over."

"You should take pride, Daughter. You shall accomplish what very few ever could—assassinate the Fire Lord. I grieve Lu Ten's loss and the path Fate has woven, but I understands its necessity. Indeed, your son will sit on the Dragon's Throne, and I foresee that my blood will have been well spent; my grandson will be hailed by the Four Nations over as a worthy ruler, and he shall succeed where I, my father, and Iroh failed in finding The Avatar."

Fear that her grandfather's new incarnation would destroy the Fire Nation and every Child of Fire in retribution for the Air Nomad's assaulted her, and she hesitated, gathering her courage. "It is said that when the Gardens of the Dead are near, those near death can glimpse the future. You have foreseen Zuko becoming Fire Lord and beloved by the Four Nations, which tells me that, somehow, the Air Nomads will return, but will The Avatar destroy him?"

Something in Azulon's face was amused. "No. This Great War I have sought to end will end."

"Now what of Princess Azula? What do you foresee concerning my daughter?"

"Your gall has always impressed me, Daughter, and I feel generous to my murderer. I foresee Princess Azula walking the path we have both always feared she was heading toward. She will be molded by Ozai into a monstrous weapon, and fear and distrust will be a walking shadow behind her." Ursa quivered at the foretold future for her daughter, more tears spilling down her cheeks. "But, Daughter, Princess Azula will eventually find peace in the most unlikely places, because of one person who could truly help her heal. She will have her own nation, and she will find glory."

Ursa smiled tearfully and sniffed. "Good. I do not want her to suffer."

"Oh, she will suffer, Daughter, but it will make her all the stronger, and when she is an adult, she will be thankful for that suffering." Azulon reached over and squeezed her hand. He then looked into her eyes and stood to his feet before stumbling to his bed.

She rose, as well, and put her arm through his. "I am so sorry, Father." She helped him sit down on the bed, and he weakly went under the blankets.

"I forgive you, Daughter. Your punishment is something I only want to punish Ozai, not you. But I had to order it. Do you understand?"

"I understand."

Something in Azulon's face loosened, and she saw him as he surely was when he was young. "At least the last taste to ever grace my tongue is Ilah's blend," he murmured. "I can feel her near; I have missed her so."

Ursa blinked rapidly; she had no idea how she still had tears to cry after everything that had happened. "I will miss you, Father."

"We will see each other again, Daughter."

"I know."

Azulon's grip in her hand tightened momentarily. "You should go."

"No. I cannot bear the thought of you alone- "

"Ursa, you should go."

Ursa shook her head as she sniffed, wiping away her tears. "No. I shall stay with you—you are worth it."

Azulon gradually weakened, and Ursa gripped his hand as he weakly squeezed back, and she kept a hold of his hand until it became limp.

Fire Lord Azulon was dead.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Zuko found himself incapable of movement after his mother's tale—the events of the night when everything changed—ended, and he wanted to comfort her, to ease the profound grief on her face, but he couldn't move, mind trying to decipher everything that was said in hopes of comprehension, something he desperately needed after all the onslaughts against his previous understanding.

It was a relief to know that Grandfather Azulon had cared about him, and that the reason why his mother never returned to the Caldera was due to a Fire Lord's mandate, a way to save her from Agni's judgment and give her repentance for the deed she had been deceived into committing, but all he could think about was his father's cruelty.

His father had assassinated Lu Ten, along with Grandfather Azulon, and he had manipulated his wife into completing the heinous deed, forcing grief, trauma, and horror on her.

It was depraved.

Zuko's mounting rage only continued to grow, and he found himself gripping the railing on the balcony; his hands were too warm, and the railing began to melt, becoming malleable.

"You're the second strongest person I've ever met," he whispered in amazement, staring at his mother, who looked out at the horizon with a distant but heartbroken look on her face.

"The first?"

"Aang. I mean, The Avatar."

"That sounds like quite a story."

Zuko nodded. "It is, but it's not mine to tell, though. I'm sorry I haven't executed him."

"I do not want your father dead; I never have."

"Do you want to see him?"

Zuko didn't think he could handle such a confrontation; he had barely handled the one with Azula without violence. He felt certain he would kill his father if his mother confronted him—and there was no way he was going to let her see him alone.

"No," his mother responded, ashamed, after several moments. "Not yet. Maybe not ever. I have not seen him since we created the plan to kill Azulon, and I still cannot look at him. My grief is still too fresh. I know I am weak, but- "

"You're not weak."

"I know what I am, Zuko; I know of my weakness, but I cannot refine it into strength—not yet."

"It's not your fault," Zuko tried. "Grandfather even said so."

"Yet I am responsible, ultimately, for his death. I believed your father, and I chose to believe him when there were signs he was going down a dark path. I ignored all the signs; I failed as both Wife and Mother."

"No, you didn't- "

"Look at what he did to your face," she lamented, face falling in despair.

Zuko nodded stiffly, fingers drifting over the scorched, hardened flesh. "I can't. But I've accepted it. I have my eyesight still; it's quite a miracle considering what could have happened."

"I have not accepted it," his mother whispered in a croak. "I never will. For so long, I cherished the image of that little boy I left, but- "

"I'm no longer that little boy," he finished, feeling grief. "And you keep looking for someone who no longer exists."

His mother wiped away tears and smiled. "No. He is still you, but you are not him. But I loathe seeing what became of that little boy—because of your father. He took that from me, for which I will never forgive him."

"There's a lot more he did that you should never forgive."

"I know."

Zuko grunted and felt something tight coil in his chest. "Do you forgive him for those other things?"

His mother said nothing for several moments, and he knew the answer; the feeling became tighter. "I will never forgive what he did to you and Azula. But I find everything else… forgivable."

"What?" he demanded, voice rising into a shout. "You can't be serious!"

His mother looked old. "You heard me, and, unfortunately, I meant it."

"I can't believe this," he muttered, shaking his head. "You… you forgive him for- … He manipulated you into killing Grandfather! He had Lu Ten assassinated! He was going to burn the Earth Kingdom to ash! He turned the economy into a pile of dragonshit! He was going to kill Aang even though he was just a kid!"

"I know that!" his mother snapped, voice rising and cracking at once. "I know! It sickens me that I can overlook all of that, but I can." Something heartbroken crossed her face. "I'm sorry that I'm not the mother you remember."

Zuko remembered the perfect woman he thought she was. "I'm sorry, too, but won't be for long."

She smiled a watery, tired, broken smile and claimed exhaustion, and Zuko escorted her to her room, bypassing the Imperial Firebenders. He wouldn't put it past someone to send assassins after her—a desperate attempt to keep him isolated as Fire Lord, probably.

Once inside, his mother gently removed her arm from his and sat on her bed. "When you visit him, you must temper your rage. Otherwise, your emotions will control you, and he will control you."

Zuko frowned. "I don't know what you mean."

"You are a much more capable liar, but you are still mine," his mother said, smiling slightly—something sad and deep. "You plan to visit your father after you leave me."

He gave up on his performance. "I figured I should get all these confrontations done in one day."

"You are an efficient Fire Lord," she commended. "No matter what I say, you will visit him, and you are not that little boy for me to command. But remember my advice."

When Zuko departed for the prison, he found it impossible to heed such advice. His father was the source of so much despair and strife, chaos and death—not to mention what he had done to the rest of the world! While he knew, logically, that Sozin would always be considered the monster above all monsters, and that his father would never—and could never—surpass him, Zuko felt differently.

His father was the true great evil to mar the world.

"Long time no see, Fire Lord," his father greeted in derision but moved his body to see him fully.

His father craved conversation—and Zuko certainly craved the one about to transpire.

Zuko nodded and sat down across from him, the cell bars separating them. "Too long," he said. "It almost made me forget what I know about you."

"So close to the truth," his father mocked. "You will always fail—it is in your nature."

He stared at his father, memorizing him. "Believe it or not, I'm in awe of you."

His father laughed, and it sounded genuine in its amusement. "As you should be, Son. I am a great man descended from great men."

"No," he countered, shaking his head. "It's a sick sort of awe—a horrified fascination, I guess. You had your nephew assassinated, and you can act is if nothing is wrong, as if everything you did is okay and good."

His father was no longer laughing, starting at him with assessing, keen, and intelligent eyes. "You know."

"I know."

"Did your uncle finally figure it out?" his father asked curiously. "Is that how you know?"

Zuko leaned back, relieved at the confirmation that Azula hadn't known about Lu Ten's assassination; otherwise, his father would have led with that, seeking to twist the relationship—as he always did.

"You stared him in the face and mourned Lu Ten's loss," he said in disbelief to hide his growing fury, remembering Uncle's unimpressive return after a year away following Lu Ten's death. "You carried on as an uncle in mourning and did everything perfectly."

"Iroh was always simple," his father derided. "For all his greatness—and he was great, certainly—he lacked complexity."

"You underestimate him," Zuko defended.

His father looked unimpressed. "I know him better than you; I watched him grow and fall; I watched it all."

"I know him."

"What do you know of him, Zuko? To you, he is Uncle, and that is all he will ever be. You will never hold a full understanding of him, unlike me. He is a failure—like you."

Zuko intentionally assessed his father up and down. "And you are…?"

His father's eyes ignited. "Victim of The Avatar."

A surprised laugh escaped him. "You're insane. You actually believe that. If anyone's the victim, it's Lu Ten! And Grandfather! Their lives were the price for your ambition and pride! And so many more lives!"

"Prices must be paid," his father dismissed.

Zuko pounced. "And this state you find yourself in is the price you must pay for your crimes."

"When I get out of here- "

"Don't you get it?" he interrupted. "No one is coming for you. I killed everyone loyal to you, and no one knows where you are."

Respect filtered across his father's face. "Very ruthless," he commended. "You have secured your grip on your power. You did as I did."

Zuko remembered. "Your charade after Grandfather's death. Your regret at passing Uncle in the line of succession. Your regret at taking on such a role and responsibility but how you would do it for the good of Fire. Your public mourning for Grandfather."

His father only nodded in agreement. "Fire Lord Azulon was beloved by Fire and those at court. I had to throw festivals to celebrate his great life. It was nothing compared to my father's festivals for Grandfather that we still conduct annually- "

"Not anymore," Zuko corrected.

Something dark and rotten seeped into his father's face. "You desecrate your lineage. The source of our greatness lies in Sozin's seed! My father possessed it, Iroh possessed before his absurdity, I possessed it before The Avatar stole it from me, and you would possess it if only you claimed it—but you never will. You are weak."

"Weak?" he echoed, unsurprised. "Well, if anything, I inherited my weakness from you."

"You dare- "

"Was it you who had the strength to murder Grandfather?" Zuko asked mockingly, and he knew Azula would be so proud. "It has to grate you; it must. Mother was the one to kill him, not you. Mother had the strength and cunning to do the impossible—assassinate esteemed and prodigious Fire Lord Azulon. What did you do, Father, while she did it? Were you on your knees at the altar praying that she would succeed? Were you gazing up at the Dragon's Throne and imagining your ascension—for you hadn't ascended yet and never would until Mother put you on it?"

His father chuckled, and something malicious but intrigued settled in his golden eyes. "Do not mock your mother- "

"I mock you!" he snapped. "I would never mock Mother."

"You have grown so much, Son. Who knew you would possess the temerity to speak this way to me?" His father's sneered, all respect and intrigue gone. "But you are still a eunuch—you only dare speak this way to me when I am powerless! And my powerless does not have its source in you and your own strength and cunning. No, The Avatar did this to me, pilfered me of my spirit and inheritance, a malignant crime for which he will answer."

"Good luck with that," he muttered, remembering Aang's descriptions of his rigorous and severe bending training in his letters. He was going harder than he had been leading up to Sozin's Comet.

He was both amazed and worried.

"This is just like the Eclipse," his father said sadly, seeming dissatisfied. "You impress me only to disappoint me."

Zuko smiled, but there was nothing kind in it; he knew it was identical to the one on his father's face. "How about a rematch?"

"There is no rematch, for we are not equal. We never were, but certainly not now."

He harnessed his rage and jumped to his feet, shifting into a firebending stance, and he relished the sudden tightness in his father's posture. Zuko let the fire flow. The steel cage quickly melted, and he stepped inside with fire rushing through his blood.

His father looked around at the remnants of his once prison and smiled, pride mingling in those eyes. "You are powerful, Son." The smile vanished, and so did the pride, replaced by resentment. "I was once powerful—before The Avatar."

"You won't fight me?" he demanded, stretching out his arms in waiting. "I won't bend against you."

A smirk graced his father's face, teeth gleaming like a dragon's in the dim light. "On your honor?"

"Since I'm the only one who has any."

His father rushed forward, but Zuko was ready and twisted his body and exploded against him, fighting back. Their identical eyes locked, and each snarled, pushing against each other with strength and ferocity.

His father was stronger—a lot stronger—than he thought, but Zuko lashed out with his legs, connecting with flesh and bone.

A leg buckled, and Zuko capitalized, ramming his father forward and heaving punches into his face. Before he could recover, his father drove a fist up into his jaw, jarring him, but Zuko grabbed his long, matted hair and yanked; his father cried out in pain and slammed to the floor.

Zuko stalked closer and kicked him in the chest, sending him painfully into the wall with a surprised grunt of pain. He surged forward, and his hand had wrapped around his father's throat, squeezing tightly, beginning to grow hot. "Are you sorry at all?"

His father gasped for breath, but pride shone in his golden eyes, making them glow like ambers, visible despite the busted blood vessels and bruising; he smiled and there was blood. "Claim your inheritance, Son."

He let go in disgust, and his father sank to the floor, golden eyes dimming in disappointment. "I could kill you any time I want to," he announced. "But I'm not you. You killed your father and your nephew for power. But I don't need to kill you for my power—because you failed and are a failure. You're not a threat; you're nothing, a dimming memory in the minds of everyone across the world. Think about that."

"I think about all the wasted energy I spent on you and your sister. I will be free from this cell one day, Zuko, and when I do, when I reclaim all that is mine, you will remember your decision this day and despair your shameful weakness."

Images crossed his mind that enticingly showed him a world without his father, and Zuko acted—but not to manifest such images. He spun around, leg extended, and swung until the heel of his foot connected with his father's temple with a terrible sound, and his father's head smashed into the stone.

Blood streamed from multiple wounds.

His father glared at him defiantly but said nothing.

"By the way," he called out, turning around as he approached the exit; something vicious and proud roared to life. "I found her."

His father's eyes widened, but Zuko exited before anything could be said.

"No!" his father roared, the sound erupting through the prison. "Zuko! Zuko!"

Zuko didn't turn around, only pausing to order the Imperial Firebenders to take the prisoner to another cell.

Whenever he visited his father since, his father asked after his wife, but Zuko delighted in returning the favor of saying nothing, cruelly basking in his growing desperation and despair. It was most cathartic. He never allowed himself to give anything regarding his mother in his father's presence, and he made the decision that his mother would never see him.

His mother seemed content not to visit her husband and carried on as best she could, quickly falling into a rhythm. She visited Azula every day—at a different hour from Zuko, of course—and invested considerable time and energy trying to mend their relationship and slowly made progress as the years progressed, but it was not enough.

Azula's mental recover was still incomplete, and became clear to him that she would never recover if she remained in her cell. He often thought about releasing her but knew such a notion was impossible—especially with the growing volatility of the political climate.

Thankfully, his mother didn't invest everything she had into Azula, though she invested a lot. She helped him with his duties as Fire Lord, and he had feared she would fail, but she revealed she helped Grandfather Azulon quite a lot during the final years before his death, taking on the traditional duties of the Fire Lady—Grandfather Azulon refused to remarry—while retaining her duties as Fire Princess. It was impressive.

Zuko handed her the traditional Fire Lady duties, and she excelled, handling Fire fluently and gracefully, which allowed him to focus clearly on the economy and military, along with the political rivers that flowed through the Four Nations. She was excellent help with all the paperwork.

And he needed to focus on the politics of the Four Nations, for the politics were troubling. He didn't know the feeling in the air during the years before Sozin sparked the Great War, but he suspected it was similar to the feeling in the air he was beginning to feel, particularly the past year.

No matter what he did, how often he apologized and paid reparations and showed the world that Fire was walking a different path, there was little trust if any.

Whenever he breached the subject with his father—because he needed advice from someone who understood the pressure on his shoulders, even if that advice came from him—all that he received was a disgusted sneer and condemnations and belittlements on his ability to lead and foresee what was such an 'obvious conclusion' based on his decisions made as Fire Lord.

"I warned you, Fire Lord, this would happen," his father would say. "Did you think they wouldn't want revenge? You're as simple as Iroh! Sozin recognized the impurity of the other elements, the other nations, and he sought to cleanse them. You were born into a great inheritance, Zuko, and you have fucked it all up. You may be the last Fire Lord, for Water and Earth will align to destroy—unless you cease your weakness and wield your ruthlessness as Fire Lord, as is your birthright. Only force will realize your vision."

But Zuko refused to start a new war—never! He continued his pursuits of peace and persistence in showing that Fire wanted no conflict. But he was beginning to think that Fire was the only one who didn't want war. Sometimes he suspected that the only reason war hadn't returned is that Water and Earth didn't want to be the ones to provoke the conflict. They wanted to blame Fire and look justified, virtuous, and noble in responding to Fire's 'aggression.'

He never raised his concerns to Uncle in his letters, for he didn't want Uncle to be disappointed and worry, and, more worryingly, a growing part of him suspected that his letters weren't private, that they were read by others and possibly rewritten to censor certain information he relayed, based on several confusing things Uncle had written him in response to several of his letters.

Whenever he raised his concerns to Aang, who was growing a lot taller than Zuko thought he would, when they saw each other during the political meetings, Aang dismissed his concerns, vowing that he would make everyone see reason and that he would fix it. But Aang's growing frustration with the situation alerted him that The Avatar's presence in the situation wasn't enough. Based on the whispers that reached his ears, The Avatar's presence seemed to make it worse. And due to the changes he observed and sensed in Aang's personality, his growing distance with everything and reclusive tendencies, there was part of him that wondered if his friend cared enough to enforce his will and ensure there was no outbreak of conflict.

It was a nightmare—and it only seemed to be getting worse.

The light footsteps behind him alerted him of his mother's arrival to the royal garden, where he had been waiting for her.

"How was she?" Zuko asked, throwing the last of his bread pieces into the pond for the turtle ducks.

"She refuses to go beyond mere conversation," his mother notified as she sat next to him, chuckling as the turtle ducks greeted her, squawking happily.

Zuko was unsurprised. "She still calls her outburst of emotion a 'revolting display of peasantry'?"

"You know she does. Azula has never been fond of deep expression."

"Of course."

Silence.

"Your meeting will begin soon," she commented.

Zuko grunted. "I don't know what Kuei wants; his ambassadors better not waste my time. He's been getting bolder and bolder—I don't like it."

His mother smiled. "Maybe another marriage proposal."

He rolled his eyes. "Then he would be wasting my time. I've told him I am not interested in a marriage with his niece."

"I do not know Kuei, but would marriage to his niece be so bad?"

Zuko glanced at her in irritation. "She doesn't even have royal blood; she's his niece from the other side of the family. I don't like her, and I don't like what he's doing. The fact he proposes her and not a girl more qualified is an insult and an insult to Fire. And he knows what he's doing; I know he does. He's trying to make me weak and weaken my authority in the eyes of our race. You'd think he was a Firebender with how bold he is."

"He has learned the game of rulers," his mother observed, clearly remembering his tale of how ineffective and weak Kuei was during the Great War.

"Mastered it," he corrected. "He's making everything way harder than it has to be. I think he wants another war."

His mother hummed in acknowledgment and picked up some of the leftover scraps of the bread; she began to feed the turtle ducks. "I worry about you," she said softly.

"You have Azula to worry about," he dismissed.

Something sad and resigned flashed across her face. "My worry has not helped her—perhaps it never has. It has been eight years since her confinement, and she has plateaued. She is not better. She can never be free until she heals."

"She'll never heal as she is," he corrected with a deep sigh. "I've thought about it a lot. She can never be healed until she is free. But Kuei would, at the least, send another assassin after me if I freed Azula."

His mother looked exasperated. "Another? What happened?"

"I killed him—and the others."

"Of course. I mean, what did you tell Kuei?"

He felt something dark twist in his gut. "I didn't; I never have. I've always thought it better to maintain the tremulous political peace. Part of me thinks I should confront him. But if I did, Kuei would claim I was suggesting war, that my mere accusation was tantamount to war, and Water would inevitably join Earth to destroy Fire. No matter what I do, everyone hates us."

His mother tossed another piece of bread into the pond. "Sozin broke a trust that will take decades to rebuild, and your burden is to oversee such a rebuild. Could Avatar Aang intervene- "

"Aang's supposed to be above it all," he interrupted in disgust. "He hates it, and so do I. Even as the last of Air, it would be seen as an unforgivable betrayal if he picked my side. It's already seen as an unforgivable betrayal by so many—too many—that the Avatar has spared Fire from his wrath! It's insane!"

"And this is why I worry for you," his mother responded, voice gentle but firm. "It has been eight years, and not much has changed."

"My beard's come in a lot more."

"Be serious."

"I am," Zuko defended, gesturing to his beard. "I don't look so much like him now."

His mother smiled sadly. "Part of me thinks that if Azula could grow a beard, she would just to try to hide her resemblance to me."

Zuko shuddered at the image. "I don't think she likes beards, anyway. She always mocks mine."

"I think that more has to do with its owner, not the beard itself."

"Probably."

"But I do worry," she continued. "You work far too hard for nothing to have changed."

"Something's going to happen," Zuko said after several moments. "There will be a reckoning. I don't know when, but I know there will be one. And we are at a position of weakness now—because I was too generous with the reparations to Water and Earth!"

"Quit thinking politics."

"Consider it me preparing for my meeting with Kuei's ambassadors," he drawled, throwing one of her pieces of bread into the pond with more force than necessary.

"The only companions you have are me, Azula, Avatar Aang, and Iroh. Azula is imprisoned, and Avatar Aang is- "

"Everywhere but the Fire Nation," Zuko finished.

"Exactly. You only know him from your letters with him and the political meetings."

"And he hasn't even attended the last several; I haven't seen him for almost a year. I think he's even more disgusted by it all than I am."

"You did tell me he is a child."

"He was a child. He's twenty now." His brow furrowed. "I think he is. I don't know when he was born."

His mother didn't look surprised. "Because you do not see him in person. All you have is me. Azula does not count, nor does Avatar Aang."

"I have Uncle- "

"Iroh is still in Ba Sing Se; you, too, only know him from your letters and his annual two-week visits. And I know you visit your father."

Zuko glanced at her, refusing to apologize, even though he felt the impulse. "He doesn't like the beard, either."

"I make you uncomfortable to make you see the truth," she insisted, eyes urgent. "You have no friends, nor have you made any effort to contract an advantageous marriage for yourself."

He felt a frustrated rumble echo in his chest. "Until I can trust a wife not to try to assassinate me in my sleep, I'm not making a marriage."

His mother raised her brows, face unreadable. "And what about the concubines?"

Zuko winced. "That's… a habit."

"An often habit."

"I'm not talking about this."

"Because you should have a friend to talk to," she stressed. "What man wants to speak of such things with his mother? I am your only friend, Zuko—because I am here."

He shook his head. "Aang would be here if he could. He and I are fine."

"I believe that. But what about your other friends?"

Zuko exhaled roughly, quelling the familiar hurt, bitterness, and rage. "We've had this conversation before. I'm fine. You know I'm fine."

"You are lonely."

"Who cares if a Fire Lord is lonely?" he snapped. "Father never complained."

His mother's eyes pinched with sorrow. "Because he had his concubines—just as you do."

He stiffened, hating any sign of similarities between himself and his father. He always knew his habit with the concubines resembled his father, but he didn't care—because the habit eased his stress and helped him sleep and attain clarity.

"I'm really not talking about this."

"Then consider a different but familiar branch on the same tree." Zuko prepared himself, for he knew what was coming. "You need to consider marriage. It will be good for you; it will be helpful. You know how Azulon forced Iroh to consider marriage."

Zuko raised his only brow. "The difference is—Uncle had someone he answered to. He had to because Grandfather was Fire Lord. I'm Fire Lord, and I say that I don't need to consider it. It's absurd to consider during such a time."

"You're going to need an heir sooner than later."

"Azula's my heir."

"A real heir."

He shook his head. "Sozin waited for over half a century for his heir. I'm only at year eight."

His mother looked unimpressed. Normally, he loved that she wasn't afraid of his position as Fire Lord, but he really wished she would respect his position and leave it alone. "Is it prudent to leave the nation in such uncertainty and illegitimacy by refusing to have an heir, especially during such a volatile time?"

Zuko swallowed and tried to maintain his apathy. "I know I need an heir, but now is not the time. I have time. I'm fine."

"The Noble Houses would beg to differ, my son. They have been pushing their daughters and sisters at you like they are the actual concubines you so enjoy. Your little 'habit' has not gone unnoticed."

He rolled his eyes. "I've already dealt with the concubine who tried to assassinate me."

"And you leave yourself open to further assassination attempts by sullying yourself with these concubines."

Zuko glanced at her. "Are you lecturing me?"

His mother sat taller, dignified and noble. "I would never dare lecture the Fire Lord."

"But you are distracting me from Kuei's ambassadors."

"You want the distraction," his mother dismissed, and he hated that she was right. "These noble girls seem quite lovely, and they might make you happy; they would be more than willing to bear you your children, the heirs to the Dragon Throne."

"I'm fine," he repeated, wishing that she would drop the subject.

"You are not. Your loneliness is only going to increase. Your 'habit' is not healthy. And your best friend is your own mother." His mother remained quiet and gazed at the turtle ducks. "I know you had to banish Mai and Ty Lee- "

"One of the many reparations I was forced to concede to the Earth Kingdom," he snapped. "Kuei was adamant; he wanted the conquerors of Ba Sing Se. I'm lucky he was 'graceful' enough not to include me in his demand. And he threatened to restart the war if I didn't hand them over! Azula's lucky that she's insane, for that is the only reason she's still here and not the Gardens of the Dead!"

Mai and Ty Lee had willingly turned themselves in, mainly to protect Azula from Kuei's ire, and Zuko was forced to surrender them to a transport to the Earth Kingdom. No one had to know if the Blue Spirit intervened and wrecked the convoy—leaving everyone alive—and freed Mai and Ty Lee. But because their escape was such a political nightmare, Zuko was forced to banish Mai and Ty Lee publicly from the Fire Nation under threat of death, trapping them on the Earth Kingdom—meaning it was so much easier for Kuei to track down, capture, and execute two of the four conquerors of Ba Sing Se.

However, Kuei, the entitled prick, had no such luck finding Mai and Ty Lee, and even Zuko didn't know their location and what they were doing; he lost contact years ago.

Zuko felt his anger mounting and snarled, flames sparking across his palms. "I would have released Azula a year after you returned—because I'm certain that if she were released, she would recover—but I can't because Kuei would find out and demand her be handed over for execution! And if I refused, there would be another fucking war! And we would lose! There would be no cessation but a conquest!"

"But would marriage with Kuei's niece bring you goodwill?"

He grunted in acknowledgment but said shook his head. "Such goodwill would come at the cost of myself and my position and authority as Fire Lord. To agree to such an insulting proposal will never look good to anyone but my enemies. And based on Kuei's habit of sending assassins after me, he'd probably order his niece to assassinate me in my sleep. It's a stupid idea."

"The thought has credence, Zuko. Sacrifices must be made."

He raised his only brow. "You want me to marry her? That's who you want as the mother to your grandchildren?"

"Better than a concubine."

"You are lecturing me," Zuko observed flatly.

"You need to do something," his mother stressed. "Things cannot continue the way they have, both politically and socially—and emotionally, of course. What girl would be suitable to you as your wife?"

Against his judgment, he remembered blue eyes the color of the ocean, a bright and beaming smile, the passion he felt when encountering her, and the peace and contentment that had settled in him whenever they spoke after Yon Rha—no matter how brief it was.

Zuko looked fully at his mother, hoping he revealed nothing. "None."

"But Zuko- "

He stood to his feet. "I think I've delayed my meeting long enough."

His mother sighed. "Yes, of course. Go to your meeting. But I still want to speak about this."

"I don't."

"Which is why I do."

Zuko smiled tightly. "You said enough. The point is—I'm never going to trust a marriage unless I pick it, and I'll only pick it if I trust the girl. I trust no one who's been offered. Do you want a living son or an assassinated son?"

"You are pessimistic."

"I'm Fire Lord," he said flatly.

His mother looked sad but nodded. "Then go. If you wish not to speak about it, I will abide by that desire—for now."

Zuko nodded and exited the Royal Garden. He made his way into the corridor and glanced around, making certain that they were no prying eyes. And when he was satisfied he was alone, he put his flaming hand on a section of the wall, and one of the many secret passages made its presence known. He stepped through and his footsteps echoed lightly as he journeyed, his mind easily finding the passage that led to the throne room. After more minutes of walking, the passage deposited him behind the Dragon Throne.

It was time for him to don the mantle of Fire Lord again. The wall of flames roared to life, and all the men—the Fire Nation men, not the Earth Kingdom men—bowed reverently before him.

He wearily settled on his throne, the conversation with his mother weighing heavily on his mind, and he was truly thankful that only his imposing silhouette could be seen by everyone in the room.

"All hail Fire Lord Zuko! Master of Agni's Eternal Flame! Keeper of the Dragon's Throne!" his men shouted in chorus—a tradition that grew on him the longer he reigned as Fire Lord, he could admit.

Zuko turned his attention to Kuei's ambassador. There were more men than he had anticipated, and felt his dread return swiftly. "Well, Ambassador? I hope your trip was uneventful."

"It was, Fire Lord Zuko."

"What is the reason for this meeting? I told King Kuei my response to his proposal the last time you were here, and I'm not interested in hearing his demands for more reparations."

"We have returned with another of King Kuei's proposals," the ambassador said, eyes triumphant. "His terms have changed."

Zuko felt himself relax in relief; Kuei had finally seen reason—thank Agni. "What is the proposal, Ambassador?"

"King Kuei once again, quite generously, offers his niece's hand in marriage for the betterment of our two nations, for a permanent sign of peace."

Silence.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, wondering why he felt surprised. "I thought you said the terms changed."

"It depends on your response."

"Why this again?" Zuko demanded, anger sparking. "This is the fifth time he has offered her. I wish her well and hope she has a loving marriage with whomever her husband will be—but it will not be me. This offer is tiresome."

"You mean generous," one of the Earth Kingdom men muttered loud enough to hear.

Zuko glared at him through the wall of flames. "You are?"

The man stiffened and looked around distrustfully and anxiously. "A Child of Earth- "

"Child is right. I do not want to know your name; I do not want to know what you think; I do not want to know you at all. If you were of any value, you would not be here."

The man glared right back at him, twitching angrily. "And where would I be, Fire Lord?"

Zuko's temper cracked. "You would be back in Ba Sing Se with your tongue up Kuei's ass."

Half of his councilors looked mortified, while the other half looked delighted. The Earth Kingdom men looked enraged, but the ambassador held up a hand.

"Fire Lord Zuko, let us not descend into peasantry. Please reconsider King Kuei's proposal. It is in your best interest, along with the best interest of your race."

"What is there to reconsider?"

"We have a new portrait. Would you like to see?" the Ambassador asked, already pulling out a parchment and giving it to one of Zuko's councilors before he could respond.

His councilor ascended the steps and bowed his head, holding out the parchment. Zuko stood up and reached through the wall of flames to take the parchment. Upon glancing at it, he knew it was a different painting than last time. Kuei's niece was beautiful—but much more beautiful than the last painting. And she was only beautiful, according to the painting. Zuko knew how it all worked. For his royal portraits, the painters always mitigate the presence of his scar—to such a dishonest degree it was both appalling and flattering.

Decision made—or remade—he reached out and let the wall of flames consume the painting, and he saw his councilors nod in approval and relief. "My response has not changed, Ambassador. I will not weaken myself for the sake of your king's ego."

The ambassador frowned severely, and the Earth Kingdom men muttered amongst themselves. "This is most insulting, Fire Lord- "

"Your offer is insulting," he snapped. "I must think of my race, too, Ambassador. This bride has no royal blood nor honorable lineage. She has no value politically. I know King Kuei's aims—he seeks to weaken my position and weaken the power of my lineage by diluting its potency with someone unworthy."

The ambassador shared several glances with the men surrounding him. "King Kuei will not be pleased to hear such a description of his niece- "

"I'm not pleased to hear the description of his offer!"

"Why will you not marry her?"

"I'm keeping my options open," he replied automatically.

The ambassador scoffed. "King Kuei tires of your excuses, Fire Lord Zuko. If I may be so bold- "

"You may not."

"Nevertheless, you vow peace, but you have only demonstrated your ability to compromise your vow to peace; you continually reject King Kuei's generous offers and scorn his beautiful niece. The Earth Kingdom needs a permanent demonstration that you, Fire Lord Zuko, are willing to adhere to peace for the long-term."

Zuko tried to keep the wall of flames at a reasonable height; he was semi-successful. "Adhere to peace? What do you call my reparations and ceding of land? Those of my race in the colonies have been forced from their homes, crammed into Yu Dao and other far-too-small provinces, and I let it happen to prove my adherence to peace—because I want peace while the Earth Kingdom has only proven its stubbornness and inability to compromise. Tell me, Ambassador—what do you call my actions?"

The ambassador looked irritated. "We call it- "

"No, no," he interrupted, waving his hand, unseen behind the wall of flames. "I know what you call it—or what King Kuei calls it. He calls it not enough."

"Be that as it may, we need a demonstration, Fire Lord Zuko. What you have done and provided is not enough. I know it would ease the tension between our great nations—and ease the tension with Water, too—if we reached an agreement."

Zuko tried not to scoff. "And this is where the terms have changed, yes?"

"Yes. A further reparation, if you will."

"Did you not hear me?" he demanded, trying to keep his voice from becoming a hiss. "I said no more reparations."

"I believe it is in your best interest."

He grit his teeth. "What are the terms? What is it that demonstrates to King Kuei my adherence to peace?"

The ambassador's resulting triumphant but vicious smile filled Zuko with dread. "It has been eight years, Fire Lord Zuko, and your facile excuses are as shameful as they are pathetic. As a demonstration of trust, King Kuei demands Princess Azula be handed over to be tried for her crimes against the Earth Kingdom during the Great War. Her alleged insanity, which has egregiously protected her from her rightful judgment for far too long, does not matter. If you refuse to surrender her, it is war—due to your disrespect and aggression. King Kuei vows it."

His councilors jumped to their feet in outrage, and furious voices consumed the air.

Zuko jumped to his feet, as well. "Aggression?" he cried out, voice rising into a roar that overtook all of his councilors and Earth Kingdom men. "What aggression?"

"Besides this profound display," the ambassador said, gesturing to the blazing wall of flames which scorched the ceiling. Zuko didn't even attempt to lower it. "It is quite obvious. You harbor Princess Azula to prepare for war already; it is a most aggressive move."

He was dumbfounded. "What? I love my sister, Ambassador- "

"You cannot claim to love your sister, Fire Lord Zuko, for everyone knows it to be false. And even if you did, it is literally unbelievable. King Kuei knows the story—Princess Azula tried to murder you, and nearly succeeded, during your fight for the throne. No, the only reason why you have refused to hand over Princess Azula is that she is a weapon you intend to wield against Earth and Water in a new war. You are plotting with her how to permanently subjugate Earth and Water!"

Zuko said nothing, deprived of speech, too astonished, incapable of comprehension. In his silence, his councilors shouted their indignation, which was returned by the Earth Kingdom men.

But it all passed through him without feeling.

He sat on the Dragon's Throne, feeling no warmth from the wall of flames; he felt cold, freezing cold. And the cold only intensified as he realized the depth of the situation.

Kuei was forcing his hand.

If he surrendered Azula, he would only temporarily sate Kuei's appetite for power, for Kuei had proven that he would only make more demands and wield the threat of further war to make him comply. And if he surrendered Azula, he would never forgive himself—and his mother certainly wouldn't forgive him, either!

But if he refused to surrender Azula, the Earth Kingdom would call for war and use the excuse of his so-called 'aggression' to justify it. Thus, Water would join Earth, and Fire would be destroyed.

Maybe if the reparation hadn't been Azula's surrender and inevitable execution, he would have relented, but Kuei chose his sister, who was guilty, certainly, but by that same logic, Zuko was guilty, too! And so was Kuei, based on the whispers that reached his ears.

He wouldn't surrender Azula.

Zuko stood to his feet, and the wall of flames roared in power, producing a sudden silence; all eyes were on him. "You tell Kuei that this war is on his head, and so is all the innocent blood that will surely be spilled to sate his ego will soak the earth, over which he claims to rule."

"The blood of Fire isn't innocent!" one of the Earth Kingdom men shouted.

"At least ours is untainted, unlike yours, which comes thieves and whores!" one of Zuko's councilors fired back.

"Kuei wants this war!" Zuko roared. "Let the weight of all those who suffer and die from this conflict settle on his soul and kill him!"

The ambassador's eyes widened. "The Fire Lord wished King Kuei's death! It is war!"

"Guards!" he cried out, and the Imperial Firebender rushed into the room, surrounding the Earth Kingdom entourage, all of whom warily and hatefully looked around. "Escort these cowards to their ship—one of the same many ships that I gave them as a gift that wasn't enough for their eunuch-king. Ensure no harm befalls them."

"Go fuck yourself, Fire Lord!" one of the Earth Kingdom men yelled. "I hope the other half of your face matches its twin before you die!"

One of the Imperial Firebenders smacked the man across the face and held a flaming fist directly over his bruising face. "On your word, my liege."

Hysteria swept through the Earth Kingdom men, who cried out and switched into fighting positions, and it did little to mitigate the mounting tension, chaos, and danger that swarmed through the throne room.

"Enough!" Zuko roared and ran through the wall of flames, breaking decorum as he stalked down the steps. "Release him!"

"He insulted you, my liege!" the Imperial Firebender responded, outraged and appalled. "He visualized your death!"

"I've visualized his ever since he got here," he lied. "Release him. I'm not asking."

The Imperial Firebender bowed lowly, conveying his apology, and released the man, who stumbled away, glaring odiously at him.

Silence.

"Think about this path," Zuko pleaded, staring at the ambassador. "It's only been eight years since the end of the Great War. Are we so weak that we can't keep the peace for even a generation?"

"It is Fire's weakness that provokes this conflict, Fire Lord," one of the Earth Kingdom men spat, eyes bitter and hateful. "

"You made your decision when you rejected King Kuei's most fair and generous offer," the ambassador said. "Indeed, it has been eight years—of your avoidance and weakness, your deceptions failures. The fact you exist is an insult to all the Earth Kingdom men who died defending our homeland from your wretched kind."

"I gave you back Ba Sing Se," he cried out. "How can you say- "

"Ba Sing Se was never yours to give!" one of the Earth Kingdom men roared and took a threatening step forward before he re-thought his strategy when the Imperial Firebenders all lit their hands.

He tried for patience. "It was the rules of conquest. Ba Sing Se was mine by such rules because I helped conquer it. But I disbanded such rules and returned Ba Sing Se to its rightful king and race. I want peace."

"Fire will never understand peace."

Zuko approached the ambassador and stared down at him. "I want to look in your eyes as I say this, Ambassador."

The ambassador sneered, all pretense of geniality forgotten. "I will only look in one of your eyes."

"You follow a man without honor, who understands only provocation and obstinance. The Avatar will- "

"Your timorous reliance on The Avatar is pathetic, Fire Lord. Only his protection has permitted Fire's survival for so long."

"Have you ever seen him angry?"

"No, but- "

"I haven't, either, not really. But I cherish the knowledge of his inevitable anger at King Kuei for this gross breach of balance." Zuko smiled, and he knew he resembled his father perfectly. "I wonder what you will do, Ambassador, when you realize you follow a man exactly like Sozin."

The ambassador's eyes frothed with rage. "King Kuei is nothing like that defiler of the world! You are him reborn, Fire Lord! May you be remembered as such!"

Zuko scoffed and turned to the Imperial Firebenders. "Get them out of here. My order to preserve their safety, unfortunately, still stands. Go."

The Imperial Firebenders rounded up the Earth Kingdom entourage and forced their departure.

"It is war, Fire Lord!" the ambassador shouted.

"It is war because Kuei wishes it!" Zuko snapped before they all departed.

Silence.

One of his councilors stepped forward nervously. "My liege, what is your command?"

Zuko felt the burden of all the lives of the Children of Fire who were at risk of being slaughtered because of Kuei's madness. "It is war. We do what we must."

"We are not ready for this- "

"We do what we can," he corrected. "I need men shipped to the colonies to evacuate and relocate our race to their homeland. Kuei will slaughter everyone with ties to us."

The councilor hesitated. "And of our race's Earth Kingdom wives or husbands? What of the half-spawn children?"

Zuko felt his head begin to pound. "It is each family's wish as to who comes to the Fire Nation. I will not deny a Child of Earth who realizes Kuei's evil. And I expect all Children of Fire to reflect this decision."

"Yes, my liege."

"It is war," he repeated, mainly to make it register in his mind. "Mobilize the military and prepare for a potential invasion. Activate my grandfather's Great Gates. Right now, we wait for Kuei to attack. We will not take the attack to him—not yet. But get some men to the colonies."

"As you command, Fire Lord Zuko."

"Get to it."

His men bowed low and deep. "All hail Fire Lord Zuko! Master of Agni's Eternal Flame! Keeper of the Dragon's Throne!"

The councilors all departed to pursue his commands.

Zuko put his head in his hands when he was alone, feeling the unbelievable stress of the situation; it was so much more than he thought. He had believed he would have more time before Kuei tried something so drastic, but he was wrong. And he needed to notify Aang and tell him of the situation and hope he could personally visit Kuei and order him to stand down.

Not to mention Uncle, who lived in Ba Sing Se! Would Kuei try to capture and torture him?

"Fuck," he hissed, the stress intensifying terribly.

He needed one of the concubines.

XxXxXxXxXxX

That's all for chapter one! I'd really appreciate some reviews, everybody!

**Okay, eight years have passed since Sozin's Comet and Zuko's ascension to Fire Lord. Many things have happened since then. Most of this chapter is a filler and flashback, showing what has happened in Zuko's life since the Great War ended. But it also reveals the political climate that has deteriorated since the end of the Great War—because, unfortunately, no one can trust the Fire Nation after everything that happened.

**So, I changed Ursa into a Firebender because it doesn't make sense for a non-bender to marry into the Fire Nation's Royal Family, which was the epitome of power. To be blunt, a non-bender has no power when compared to a bender. Thus, being a bender is crucial in the Fire Nation; nobody would accept a princess who couldn't bend. And I honestly think that Zuko bears far more similarities to his father than to his mother, and Azula is the opposite. Based on how Ozai was characterized in Canon, I see Zuko's personality as pretty much the same thing if he had continued down his path before seeing 'the light', whereas Azula's is from her mother and possibly her grandparents, too.

**Ursa reunites with her family, and while it goes pretty good for Zuko (there are some complications because neither is how each remembers), it goes as you expect for Azula. But Azula couldn't kill her mother when she offered, so that's something, I guess. Just so you know, this chapter covers events from four years and eight years (i.e. the present) after the Great War. Zuko found Ursa 4 years after the start of his reign when he was 20 years old, and when the chapter ends in the present, he's 24 years old. So, Ursa has been reunited for 4 years and done a lot to try to bridge the gap between herself and her children. She's succeeded clearly with Zuko, but there's still some problems with Azula.

**Azulon wasn't necessarily a bad guy; he inherited the Great War from his father and continued Sozin's conquest out of obligations, nothing more. However, it's crucial that he tired of it and wanted it to end; he sought its end but could never find anyone else of significance amongst his enemies who wanted its end, as well. The more and more I think about the whole "Azulon ordered Ozai to kill Zuko because he slighted Iroh," the more absurd and ridiculous it is; I really hate that plot point—because it's insulting and is a complete disservice. It simplifies things when it should be so much more complex, especially for a man who must be so complex having been raised by  Sozin , who was already a very complex man. It makes no sense—literally no sense—that Azulon "ordered Ozai to murder Zuko" (which, in and of itself, is absurd) after Lu Ten was killed. I find it incredibly more compelling that Azulon was playing a different game, rooted in politics, familial dynamics, and complexity. So, I changed things up, but Azulon still dies, of course.

Also, Ursa doesn't return to Zuko after the Great War because of Azulon—because of the direct order, the mandate from the Fire Lord. Although he isn't necessarily a bad guy, he isn't a nice guy, either. He gets his revenge on Ozai by ordering Ursa's banishment to his house in the Eastern Province. Also, I wanted to touch on the spiritual element of Agni. Since Ursa murdered the Fire Lord, Agni's chosen vessel, she must 'repent' via her banishment. Azulon always liked Ursa, so he sanctions an 'out' for her situation so that she can return to the Caldera, but only if it is Zuko, when he is Fire Lord, who finds her, and no one else. I hope that it seems like a viable reason and action on Azulon's part because I truly like it.

Ozai has Lu Ten assassinated by the Dai Li. I think it makes a lot more sense that Ozai was pulling strings, an ironic similarity to his father, to secure himself the Dragon's Throne rather than something random like Lu Ten's death. It's more compelling that he doesn't just randomly jump at the chance to seize the Dragon's Throne after Iroh's bloodline dies out; it's more compelling that he orchestrates the entire thing. Ozai is not a man of reaction; he is a man of action who makes his own situations and does what he must. It makes sense, and really highlights the tragic nature of Iroh and Ozai's relationship.

**Kuei isn't the same man. I mean, what do you expect for a man who was so sheltered and weak to becoming a powerful political leader over Ba Sing Se, the biggest city in the world of Avatar? I'm not that big a fan of how Kuei was depicted and think there should be a lot more complexity with him, especially with how he was so sheltered, so coming out of that shelter is a massive, fundamental shock—and he blames Fire for it all. Now that he has some freedom to explore his power, he's changed—a lot. He has become a lot more kingly, if you will, and as he's learned of what Fire did during the Great War, all the atrocities and horrors and suffering that his race was afflicted by, he's dissatisfied with the resulting mercy of The Avatar. He thinks Fire got off easy from its brutal and immense crimes. And he's learned and mastered the games of kings, wielding his political power expertly to pressure Zuko where he wants him. Because, ultimately, he wants Fire to pay for everything they did in what he thinks was the name of 'civilizing' and 'superiority'.

So, leave a review and tell me what you all think! I'd really appreciate it!

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