Chapter Text
Chapter 1
Ursa had long gotten used to the stares when her entire family went out together. They were an anomaly in the Fire Nation, a family with five children. Most Fire Nation families, particularly the ones of noble blood didn't have many children. Most families had two children, two perfect Fire Nation children, especially when they lived in the Capital. Rina's first husband, Ursa's father, had died in the war, and Rina had remarried when Ursa was five. Jinzuk, although not her biological father, was the only father that she knew. When she was younger, her mother used to tell her stories about her father, Azo, and his heroism for the Fire Nation. But as she got older the stories mostly stopped, and Ursa sometimes missed that time when it was just her and her mother. But then she always felt guilty for thinking that. Rina had just gotten busy with four young children. When they went out in public, Ursa was convinced that most people thought that she was the nanny of the children, or perhaps Rina's much younger sister. People always commented on how much she looked like her mother.
One of Ursa’s favorite pastimes was going to the shopping district. She always loved browsing at the different stalls, talking to the merchants, and seeing all of the different people who came to the Capital city on business. Before her father had been killed, Ursa and her mother had lived in prestigious Hari Bulkan, but after his death, they had had to move. It had hurt her mother’s pride, having to leave her father’s home, and Rina never spoke of those days anymore. Ursa had been so young that she didn’t remember.
Today, they were on their way to a dress shop to pick out new dresses for the big party this weekend. It was all her mother wanted to talk about these days, was Prince Ozai’s birthday party. Ursa still couldn’t believe that they had been invited.
They passed by Ikem’s family’s butcher shop, and Ursa purposefully slowed down, hoping to catch a glimpse of her boyfriend. She craned her neck and tried to see through the crowd. He worked alongside his father most days, and she had been looking forward to spotting him through the window when they passed by. Someone moved aside in the shop and she caught a glimpse of him, helping a customer. She smiled. Ursa and Ikem spoke for hours about their future together. When Ikem’s father retired, he would inherit the shop, and the two of them would work there, together. She knew that so long as they were together, she would be happy.
She was pulled out of her thoughts when she felt a tug on her skirt. Her youngest sister, Eska, lifted her arms, wanting to be held. "For you? Anything," She told her, leaning down, she picked her up.
"Ursa, stop daydreaming,” Rina snapped. “We don’t want to be late for our appointment," Rina urged her daughter.
"We're coming," Ursa replied simply, quickening her pace to keep up with her mother.
The dress shop coming into view, Ursa let Eska down and took her hand as they walked into the store. It was a hot day, and the last thing that Ursa wanted to do was to try on dresses. But Prince Ozai's birthday was in two days and Ursa and her parents had been invited. Her siblings would have to stay home with one of their neighbors. A royal party was not suitable for children, although Ursa already knew that Mura, at thirteen, would stay up all night until they came home and Ursa could tell her all about it. She remembered being thirteen, not quite a woman but thinking that you were. She would happily oblige her sister, and she had thought that Mura could perhaps help her pick out her dress and help her get ready for the party.
"Welcome, welcome, do you have an appointment?" the shopkeeper asked, looking bored as she flipped through her book.
"Yes, Rina and Ursa," Rina said, as she began to browse.
"Ah, yes, here you are," the shopkeeper said, consulting her book.
"Thank you," Ursa said.
“Remember, Ursa, you want a dress that makes a statement. Every nobleman’s son is going to be there. There are going to be a lot of other girls there and you want to be noticed.” Rina glanced at the shopkeeper. “We have an invitation to Prince Ozai’s birthday party.”
The shopkeeper suddenly snapped to attention. "Let me know when you're ready to go and try something on. It would be an honor for you to wear one of my dresses to the Prince’s party."
Ursa resisted rolling her eyes as the shopkeeper and her mother began talking about the Prince, and the palace as the shopkeeper began pulling dresses to show her mother.
“I would rather find something on my own,” Ursa told them, and she was glad when her mother nodded her head, dismissing her. “Come on, Mura, help me find a dress.”
Together, the two girls began to look at the dresses, while her brothers kept Eska busy. When Rina went back with the shopkeeper to try on a dress, Ursa kept a careful eye on her siblings. The last thing she wanted was for something to happen with her siblings and for it to be her fault. Ursa wasn't sure what she wanted to wear. She was sure that the other girls would be wearing various shades of red, but that seemed so cliché, not that Ursa particularly cared what people thought about her. She was much more at home in her casual clothes, spending the day with Ikem, or shopping at some of the stalls that lined the harbor.
"What about this, Ursa?" Mura asked, pulling a dress of deep purple off of the rack.
"It's perfect," Ursa exclaimed with a smile on her lips, walking over to where her sister was standing. “I’m so glad that you came with me, your eye for fashion is much better than mine,” she complimented. Mura smiled up at her, clearly pleased by the compliment. She looked the dress over for another moment before she waved the shopkeeper over. "I think that I'll try this one on," she told the shopkeeper, who nodded her head and brought it to the fitting room.
She leaned down to pick up Eska and looked over at Mura. "Watch Ukano and Afiko until mother comes out, okay? I'll bring Eska in with me."
"Sure," Mura agreed.
She followed the shopkeeper into the fitting room and put her baby sister down. "Don't get into anything," she told her sister and then she allowed the shopkeeper to help her get into the dress. It was too long, but it was an easy fix. Turning to look into the mirror, Ursa smiled. The dress was beautiful with long draping sleeves and white detailing on the chest, a white sash wrapped around her waist.
Rina stepped into the fitting room and smiled. "It looks beautiful on you, Ursa," she complimented. "A little bit too long, but nothing a little hemming won't fix. Are you happy with it?"
"Yes, mother. I love it," Ursa said.
"Wonderful," Rina said, leaning down, she picked Eska up. "I will be right back, please hem the dress now so we can bring it home today. The party is in two days."
The shopkeeper bowed her head and went to get her supplies. Rina stepped out of the fitting room gathered her children up and took them outside, leaving Ursa behind.
While she was used to dress fittings and the like, it never got any easier. She much preferred to be at home, reading, playing with her siblings, or spending time with Ikem or Elua, her best friend. She knew that he didn't understand her family. As the son of a shopkeeper, Ikem was used to working hard. He thought that her father’s job was easy, and things were different for her. But somehow they made their relationship work. He knew that she didn’t want that kind of life, the one that her mother wanted her to have. Ikem would inherit his father's shop one day and Ursa knew that she would be happy running the store with him. She didn't need much so long as she was in love and with Ikem. She wished that they could just get married already, but she worried that her mother would oppose the match. It was one thing to date, but marriage was another story. She knew that her mother wanted a good match for her. That was all she had talked about since they got the invitation to Prince Ozai’s party. She wished that Ursa would marry a nobleman’s son and inherit an estate one day, not a butcher shop.
Ursa couldn't understand her mother's desire to be more than what they were. The daughter of Avatar Roku, Rina had grown up with certain privileges that had long been lost. Her first marriage hadn't been a love match, but one that made sense. Ursa's father had been one of Fire Lord Azulon's best generals. They had lived in the inner ring of the city and her mother had been one of the darlings of the court. But when her father was killed, they hadn't been able to stay in their home and had moved into a house in the outer ranks. They still attended court events, but it hadn't been the same for Rina. Her days as the court darling were gone, and Ursa suspected that Rina had been trying to relive them through her. But Ursa didn't have the desire to be loved at court. She would be happy with a simpler life.
When Rina met Jinzuk and fell in love with him, their status had fallen even more. Jinzuk was a noble, but not a particularly well-liked one. His father had upset Fire Lord Azulon years ago, and the man had a long memory. They had moved again, to a house in the more common area, and they were barely invited to court anymore. It was Rina's relation to Avatar Roku that kept them on Fire Lord Azulon's mind, but their invites to court were few and far between. But Ursa didn't mind. She liked getting to be a normal kid, running around with the other kids from the neighborhood. But as she got older, her mother had become more strict with her, reminding her of her proper place, reminding her that she was the granddaughter of Avatar Roku.
But it seemed, at least to her mother, that their luck was changing. They had been invited to Prince Ozai's birthday celebration, and Ursa knew that her mother was going to try and pair her with someone again, one of the sons of the great Fire Nation families. But Ursa wasn't interested, but she would grin and bear it for her mother until they returned home, and she could remind her that Ursa didn't want the life that her mother wanted for her.
Servants bowed low to the ground, looking everywhere but at the man who walked through the halls of the palace. Murmurs of "Welcome back Prince Ozai" came from the lips of the braver servants, the servants who didn't worry about facing his wrath. The rest of them remained silent, their eyes firmly ahead of them. Prince Ozai walked towards the throne room where his father was waiting for him. It had been several months since Ozai had been home in the palace. He had gone traveling in hopes of finding the Avatar, and when that hadn’t been successful, he had taken his time coming home, enjoying what the other nations had to offer. Ozai had returned just in time for his twenty-fourth birthday.
Approaching the throne room, Ozai stopped outside the doors. He hadn’t seen his father in many months, and he wasn’t looking forward to their reunion. Before he was ready, the doors to the throne room were pulled open for Ozai and he had no choice but to walk through them. Keeping his head held high, he walked towards his father. He bowed to his father and knelt down on his knees.
"Welcome back, Prince Ozai," Fire Lord Azulon spoke. "I heard that you made a stop to see General Iroh. How is your brother?"
Ozai's lips turned down slightly at the question. "Aren't you going to ask me about the Avatar?"
"What is there to tell? You didn't find the Avatar and he's not dead. Now how is your brother?"
Anger lurked behind Ozai's eyes. It was always about Iroh. He was the favorite son and Azulon had never hidden it. Ozai had been a mistake. His father had told him that he had been lucky to be born. His mother died giving him life, and for that, his father could never forgive him. He took away his father's beloved wife, and that sin was never going to be washed away. Nothing Ozai ever did would please his father and so he had stopped trying years ago.
"Iroh is running Omashu just fine. He sent his love to you and to Lu Ten."
Azulon appraised his youngest son with a frown. "I have heard of your dalliance in Omashu with that peasant girl. I am most displeased, Prince Ozai. Your behavior in Omashu brings shame to this family."
"It wasn't like that," Ozai interrupted his father, getting to his feet angrily. "Whatever Iroh told you was a lie. He always lies."
"Enough," Azulon bellowed. "You do not talk about your brother that way! He is the Crown Prince and will be your ruler one day. You do not interrupt your Fire Lord when he speaks to you. Sit back down, Ozai."
"I'd rather not," Ozai replied, a burning hatred in his eyes.
"You will not disobey me Prince Ozai," Azulon thundered, the flames behind him growing higher and crackling dangerously. Ozai forced himself to kneel back down in front of his father. "Your behavior disappoints me. If your mother was alive to see how you turned out she would be ashamed. If you know what's good for you, you will find a wife at your birthday party. You need to settle down, Ozai. A wife and family will do you good. Do you understand me?"
"Yes father," Ozai replied, his voice emotionless. “May I go now?”
Azulon didn’t bother to respond, instead waving his hand to signal that Ozai could leave. Getting up to his feet, Ozai walked down the aisle to the doors, his body stiff. If it were up to him he would have slammed the doors to the throne room to signal his displeasure. Instead he headed to his chambers and slammed those doors. It was much less satisfying than if he had been able to slam the door to the throne room.