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Chapter Text

"You dare suggest I betray Iroh? My firstborn?! Directly after the demise of his only beloved son?!"

The flames increased around Fire Lord Azulon, culminating in a burning rage that was unlike the usually composed Fire Lord, showing that even in his elderly years, he had commanded great power. That said power had ordered entire armies, insisted on evasions even, and held the Fire Nation together in ways unimaginable.

Princess Azula had long since lost respect for Azulon. It was as Father said; the man was old and a fool. His date in this world has long since expired. Watching from behind the curtain, Azula waited with anticipation, wondering what her father was planning. While it wasn't false that his plan had failed, that would do little to stop him. It would be interesting to see him appease an angry Fire Lord.

"I think Iroh has suffered enough! But you... your punishment has scarcely begun!"

The thunderous roar of the flames blasted in their direction, causing poor little Zuzu to back against the wall before standing up and running off. Azula had almost felt bad for him after that "display" that had been nothing short of embarrassing right in front of their parents and grandfather. But of course, it only showed the problems with Zuko ever rising to the throne. He didn't have the spine, the power, or the will to do anything but succumb to Mother's robe and hope that such a weak-willed woman would protect him.

Returning her gleeful attention in the direction of the throne room, the smirk never leaving her lips, Azula saw the Fire Lord continue.

"You must know the pain of losing your children. By sacrificing your own!"

The words had been delivered, authorized with the ultimate sacrifice. So Zuko would have to die? It was quite a pity. Perhaps Azula could find a way to hide him if her brother didn't become too much of an inconvenience. Father didn't care for Zuko, only her, because she was the suitable candidate and had been a worthy prodigy.

"Father, you cannot be insinuating that I am to kill my son, your own grandchild?" Ozai asked with only disdain in his voice, carefully crafted together, as Azula knew too much enthusiasm could bring an end to this plan.

Something twisted within her gut when Grandfather gave him a sinister look. Both of her golden eyes narrowed when the flames dimmed.

Wait a minute, Azula's heart froze. Why did Grandfather say "children" instea-

"No, my imprudent son, that will not be enough," Azulon declared patiently, the room growing heavier around them. "I am not blind. Your son lacks the favor that your daughter has. Much like your fallen mother with your brother, you have the deepest contempt for the boy."

Azula felt the feeling in her chest picking up speed. A chill and tightness settled within.

"It is best that we wipe the slate clean."

"Father, what are you implying?" Ozai asked from his kneeling position on the ground.

"Since you have pointed out that Iroh's bloodline has ended, it is best that we restart if you will," Azulon informed. "Prince Zuko and Princess Azula no longer have any use to you. You will sacrifice them both."

NO!

NOOOO!

NOOOOOOOOOO!

WHY—?!

"FATHER, YOU MUST BE JESTING!" Ozai objected. "I will sacrifice Prince Zuko if I must! But Princess Azula is a worthy successor! A prodigy that hasn't been seen in generations! The potential to be the most powerful Fire Lady in history, beyond even Fire Lady Ymuye!"

Yeah, he was right! She had devoted so much time and training to be the perfect heir to the throne! All of her firebending lessons were to impress those around her, ranging from her father to her grandfather to even her mother, to show her what she was truly missing out her! Azula's mind raced as she thought of many reasons why she could not die!

Zuko was one thing!

Azula was another!

Yet Azulon's eyes remained unsympathetic, "If Azula was born with as little potential as Zuko, you would have considered her in the same light and continued siring until you had found a worthy successor."

"She's able to produce lightning!" Ozai continued desperately. "If you propose killing her, the likelihood of someone rising with that much potential will be unseen for generations to come! When she is of the age of twenty-five, she would be the most powerful firebender in history!"

Yes! Yes! Daddy was standing up for her! He would never abandon her! Never, ever! She would train harder, push herself to the limits, and achieve perfection! If-

"ENOUGH!" Azulon boomed, a comet of a hundred falling upon them all, the fire surging around him. "Your choice, Ozai. Your children or your throne! Choose!"

Surprise lingered. Azula stared straight into her father's back. Certainly, he wouldn't go along with this. He would be more than happy to remove a pathetic instrument like Zuko from the equation, but not her! She was everything he would have ever wanted in a daughter and much more! He would call for an Agni Kai, tell Azulon to shove it where the light didn't shine, or do something else that would equally aid in their rise, ANYTHING!

"Very well, Father. Your will is mine to command." Daddy obeyed, lowering his head in acceptance. "I will sacrifice my children."

But at last, Azula had come to understand that day that her father bore no love for anyone, not even her.

Azula remained frozen, the realization spinning her mind.

Perhaps it was sheer instinct. Perhaps it was fear. She'd realized now what the only sane thing was to do.

Azula ran.

Both she and Zuko were going to die! Slain by the hands of their own father! Azula was intelligent enough to see why Ozai was willing to stoop so low to kill them. There was no point in sacrificing something as low as sentimentality for the throne of power. At the end of the day, siring more children was always optional, over-sacrificing what had been in the works for years!

She didn't know exactly where she was going! Her mother wouldn't help!

Neither would most in the Palace!

But in the end, she had to find someone!

Find Zuko!

Perhaps, there was something behind the idiocy that could get them as far away from the Fire Nation's capital as possible and avoid the fates that awaited them! She may have despised her brother's weakness, but he may be her only ally if he believed her!

She stormed right into Zuko's room and shouted, "Wake up! Stupid!" She slapped him on the forehead.

"Ow! Azul... what was that for?" Zuko asked in a tired voice, clearly having started to slur off.

"Dad's going to kill us!" Azula blabbered.

"Ha ha, Azula, nice try," Zuko's reaction was a lack of one.

Azula felt... fearful. "Zuko!"

'How could he not believe me?!'

"Zuko!" She repeated, her eyes clogged with tears. "I'm not playing around! Dad is going to kill us! He'd tried to take Uncle Iroh's birthright, and Azulon got angry!" She dropped into the best croaky masculine voice. "You must know the pain of losing children. By sacrificing your own!"

"Liar!" Zuko responded, tightening his expression together.

"Zuko! Please!" Azula sobbed. "On Agni's Honor!"

"Drop it, Azula," Zuko sighed.

"Zuzu!" Azula continued. "Maybe we could find a nice Earth Kingdom family to adopt us or... or something! Please, Zuko! We're going to die if we stay here and do nothing!"

Mother couldn't stop Azulon or Ozai! Even if she could do something, it would most likely be Zuko she would aim to protect!

"Stop it! You're lying! Dad will never do that to us!" Zuko tightened, placing his hands on both of his ears.

"Zuko... please. I'm—I'm scared. And I can't do this without you!" Azula begged.

"You aren't joking," Zuko realized softly, suddenly terrified.

"No," Azula choked on a whimper and a small, wretched sob.

He looked at her and was obviously surprised to see her crying! Even when she had pretended to be sad to get away with whatever she'd wanted, both of them knew that Azula could never pull off such a convincing act as this, no matter what!

Eventually, Zuko's face softened, surprisingly patting her back. "Maybe you'd heard wrong."

"No, Zuko," Azula was desperate. "Why would I tell you Dad's going to kill me if I am his prodigy? He always spends more time with me. I'd thought he loves me more than you."

"Hey! He loves me too!" Zuko objected; the moment was ruined.

'Seriously, how dumb is he?'

"No, he doesn't, Zuko! He doesn't love any of us! He only wants the bloody throne!" Azula wept. "You have to believe me!"

Zuko was quiet for a moment, his eyes wide, as Azula banged against his shoulders and sobbed to Agni itself! There was nothing else she could do. Finally, her brother engulfed her in a hug and looked down at her with soft yellow eyes, wiping away a tear.

Determination was now in his eyes.

"We need to get out of here!" Zuko exclaimed, suddenly on his feet after a few seconds.

"Wha-" she blinked.

That look was in his eyes now, "I'm not going to let them hurt you!"

'Hurt... me?' Azula didn't know what to feel. Zuko had every reason to fear for only himself. If it were only him that grandfather deemed to be sacrificed, she wouldn't even think of Zuko outside of a necessary rise to power. But it dawned upon her as quick as a sunrise dawned upon Firebenders; Zuko was scared for himself, yes, but more for her.

And that made the pain in her heart grow. Zuko loved her more than he loved himself. She should have seen it as a shameful weakness. It went against everything her father taught them, yet something within her awakened.

Zuko love her.

And she would do everything she could to come to love him again, like long ago.

"I won't let them hurt you either!" Azula vowed, making a mental promise to burn anyone who threatened to harm her or her brother.

Especially her brother.

Azula and Zuko knew that eventually they might run into someone. They had to avoid the guards with stealth, or else risk drawing their father's wrath. But what neither of them, not even Azula, had expected was to run right into Mai and Ty Lee when traveling down the stairs. Apparently, they had been going back to the Royal Palace to meet up with their parents.

Azula had nearly incinerated them both in her haste. It was a good thing that Ozai taught her to extinguish flames a while ago.

"Azula! Zuko!" Ty Lee exclaimed with a do-gooder grin, catching the glimpse of both of her friends as she raced up.

"Ty Lee, be quiet!" Azula hissed in a whisper. "We have to get out of here!"

Ty Lee looked confused. Even Mai's eyebrows rose at that. "What? Why?"

"Dad's going to kill me and Zuko!" Azula confessed, unable to help it. Tears were going down her face.

Both Mai and Ty Lee lurched forward, wrapping their arms around the insolent girl.

Now she was receiving comfort from them?

Azula felt so weak and numb...

"That's..." Mai's eyes shot between both of them. "What? I..."

"It's true," Zuko confirmed.

"But..." Mai leaned forward and asked in a whisper that she probably didn't think Azula heard. "What if she's lying?"

That hurt. Azula always thought that Mai wouldn't doubt her credibility even for a second. But then she'd remembered what happened with the whole apple on the head thing. She was just screwing with them! She didn't mean-!

"I'm not!" Azula choked, feeling like she was going to fall over and vomit. "You have to believe me! Please, Mai, believe me! I... I..."

"She's not," Zuko said instantly in her defense, much to everyone's surprise as he engulfed her again. "I've never seen her like this before, Mai. Even Azula can't fake this much."

"I believe Azula," Ty Lee agreed, her smile breaking much at the wretched cries of her best friends. "She wouldn't cry like this for no reason."

Mai sighed, her eyes softening in sympathy for Azula, and nodded in understanding. "I'll go along with you guys."

Footsteps vibrated not too far from them. Mai gripped both of the royals by their left shoulders and led them down to a secluded nearby alley where they wouldn't be spotted by firebenders or anyone else alike. After both Mai and Ty Lee took cautious peeks out and breathed sighs of relief, they turned back.

"But where are we going to go now?" Zuko whispered, looking at them fearfully. "We can't stay in Caldera forever, and I won't let anyone hurt Azula."

"Zuko! Wait, do you have your knife?!" Azula piped up, getting an idea.

Zuko fiddled with the knife in his pocket and pulled it out, reminding himself, "Never give up without a fight," as the inscription stated. "Yeah."

Azula grabbed it, unsheathed it, and cut off her ponytail. She gave it back over to Zuko, who frowned at first at what she'd done because Mom would never approve, but then recognized what she was doing. He did the same with his topknot. They were no longer Prince Zuko and Princess Azula, but simply Zuko and Azula, fugitives of their own home.

"I have an idea. I have been planning this for a while," Ty Lee interrupted, tone uncharacteristically dark, all of the gleam and the usual joviality gone from her face as she looked at them, knowing how deathly serious this situation was. "Follow me."

Ozai planned to make this quick.

The disappearance of the Prince and Princess would not go unnoticed, but with time, the Fire Nation would forget about them after a false story was spun about their lives having ended. It was a shame that Azula had to die, but it was a sacrifice that Ozai was willing to make for the throne.

Ozai hated Zuko with a passion. It wasn't enough to simply title Azula heir and end it there when he was in power. No, he had to eradicate his son and, in the process, eventually eradicate everything that reminded him of Ursa, Iroh, Azulon, and that weakness.

Only then would Ozai have ultimate power.

But the first process was one of elimination.

"Zuko," Ozai licked his lips as he approached. "Dad wants to..." He started to peel back the bed cover, where his son was, or at least should be, and recoiled.

"What?!" he seethed in rage, pulling back the whole sheet and seeing only an empty bed in place of the prince.

Ozai approached his daughter's room and checked for Azula. He bashed his teeth together as he stormed out, finding the nearest guards.

"Where are my children?!" Ozai demanded, getting into the guard on the right's face.

"Uhh, sir, we thought that the little majesties were in their rooms," the guard answered, swallowing.

"You fools!" Resisting to kill them for now, Ozai stormed out of the room and glared. "Alert the rest of the guards and locate Princess Azula and Prince Zuko!" he thundered.

The guards got down to it quickly as Ozai's dark eyes boiled. Somehow, some way, his son and daughter had found out about what he had planned. Knowing the latter, she most likely heard the entire thing and warned her brother in desperation, which probably foiled years of Ozai's plans. While Ozai may have had the appropriate negotiations in place with some of his father's staff, their loyalty was easy to shatter once knowledge of his own potential weakness became evident.

The inability to slaughter his children at his father's command would reduce Ozai's honor and give them the motivation to resume their duties under Azulon.

Throughout the night, Ozai assisted in the search. He couldn't leave his chance for power in the hands of a bunch of idiotic guards whose few allowed his children to slip from their notice.

The Prince had little option but to report to Azulon now. His father hadn't even sent the Captain of the Guard to tell him that the Fire Lord requested him, but a lowly guard, and a new one at that. The show of disrespect caused Ozai's teeth to grind against one another.

One day...

"Fire Lord Azulon, I was going to carry out the deed," Ozai reported, feeling like the child he once was, head lowered and legs bowed in submission, "but neither are in their respective stations as I would have imagined."

Azulon gave no reaction, merely registering his son, and then he spoke, "You have always been an ambitious one, Ozai. I see that now! You would sacrifice all that you hold close to covet power!"

"You didn't want me to kill them?" Ozai realized with horror.

Azulon's response came indifferently, "I wanted to see if you had some loyalty, if by some way, you can show any compassion. And in doing so, you have proven that you'd live up to Ilah's fiendish ways! A vindictive creature with no loyalty!"

Ozai's mouth hung open, and a desperate, "I am your loyal son!" spilled out of his lips.

"You would kill me just to gain the throne," Azulon countered coldly. "If any more heirs are to be produced, it should not be from you. Your hunger for power will not decimate our enemies, but the entire Fire Nation from the inside and out."

"So you're going to kill me. Is that it?" Ozai asked with a heavy breath.

"No," Azulon replied, sending a feeling of relief down his spine, "but I do believe you have been pampered for far too long in my presence."

"Father, you cannot be suggesting—!" Ozai cried.

"You are stripped of your title, your honor, and everything that defined you." Azulon interrupted, looking at him with an expression that was severe and cutting: disgust. "And for you to regain any semblance of your former life back, Ozai the Unnamed, you must bring both of your children back to the Fire Nation alive and uninjured."

Ozai gritted his teeth, gathering the power within him, "While you depend on Iroh, the world laughs at us. Ba Sing Se still stands. You wait here in the palace while the Fire Nation remains as it has for over 5 years!"

"You are a vain, greedy, cruel boy!" Azulon barked.

"And you are an old man and a fool!" Ozai thundered, flames bursting from his mouth and exiting his fingers as he charged his father. With the agility of years beyond him, Azulon jumped down, parrying the first few attacks with a mere flick of his left hand, and caught his offending fist with his right one, silencing the flames, and kicked him right in the gut before he could recover, resulting in a gasp of agony from Ozai.

"Yes. I was a fool to have always shown leniency toward you, Ozai, even honoring your request from guaranteeing that you did not join on the front lines such as your brother and my own siblings had. But I cannot justify what I have allowed you to become," Azulon said, disappointed. "Let this be a reminder of what you plan to reap."

Without hesitation, the old Fire Lord summoned a jet of red fire that had been dancing and flickering at his fingertips in his anger. The flames surged forward, consuming the complete right side of Ozai's face.

The pain was unimaginable, beyond what Ozai had ever felt before. Flames burned through skin and muscle. He screamed, the right half of his face boiling, unable to escape his father's grasp. He smelled and tasted blood, recognized it was his own pouring down his lip...

By the time it stopped, Ozai's vision was blurry, the world rotating around him in waves.

Azulon stared down at him, an almost lamentable look in his eyes. It shouldn't have made Ozai feel more shameful. "Along with bringing Ursa's children back, you must complete a previous mission that you had once attempted to do. Hunt down the Avatar. You will not return here until you prove yourself worthy enough to be a prince. You are banished from the Fire Nation!"

A servant and guards approached...

Azulon held his stare one last time with that same solemn look before dominance returned, "Guards, get this thing out of my sight and give him treatment for his injuries that could make him functional again. Servant Asai, you are to spread the word. Prince Ozai is dishonored, and Princess Azula and Prince Zuko are to be brought to me alive." he ordered. "Summon Princess Ursa. It is time for a discussion."

"Yes, Lord Azulon!" The guards and one servant chorused at once, the former grabbing the prince by the arms disgracefully and dragging him away.

The once handsome prince was forever doomed to this reminder.

Chapter Text

Wearing a frown on her face, Ursa felt something gnawing at her as she approached the throne room. More than one meeting a day didn't mean good business for any, not even members of the royal family that went far back in generations. And while her father-in-law never raised a finger against her, she'd known that his temperament only went so far.

Ursa strode to the raised dais and bowed respectfully. With a bid that was far too quick for even the elder Fire Lord to indicate, she still rose. "Father, what happened?"

"Ozai has gone a step too far, Daughter-in-law," Azulon responded, a solemn note in his voice as he broke titles. "He is no longer Prince of the Fire Nation and has been banished, only to be revoked if he is able to locate the Avatar... and your children."

"My children?" Ursa's eyes widened a fraction. "What do you mean, 'my children'?!"

Azulon hummed in contemplation.

"Where are my babies?!" She hissed.

"I had to present a test, Daughter," Azulon retorted, not answering the question directly like she'd wanted. "I may have yet another decade left. Two if I'm lucky. But I'm not getting any younger. I told him that if he wants the throne, he must sacrifice his children."

"But you—!" She started, her voice rising as the carefully constructed mask shattered. "You... old fool! Surely, you would know that would trim the royal bloodlines in ways that you cannot even fathom! Those are your grandchildren! Your grandchildren! The blood of Sozin! Your blood! You would sacrifice them—"

"Yes, as I told your husband, I am a fool," Azulon accepted, inclining his head, but not exactly in guilt. "I was prepared for the sacrifice if it was necessary to reveal Ozai's true nature. But it had backfired. They've departed the palace, and from what the patrols on the streets could see, the Capital."

"Let me find them! Let me find my babies!" She implored.

His head raised again to look her in the eyes, "Ursa, wait a—"

She snapped, "You have inflicted enough pain on them!"

"I knew that you had loved my second son long ago," Azulon rebuked. "And given your and your father's... connection, I encouraged it: it was a betrothal of convenience and perhaps you being able to tame my son's animalistic instincts. However, we both underestimated Ozai's obsession for power. And in the case they do not return—"

Ursa gasped. Even though it was disrespectful for anyone in the Fire Lord's presence to call upon the flames that surrounded him or her, in that moment, she just couldn't care. Some of them frizzled at her angry command.

Azulon, surprisingly, didn't react with anger.

"End me now if you see it fit, Ursa," the Fire Lord invited, outstretching his arms in welcome. "I will not resist, and as I've just said, the blood of Avatar Roku rushes through you. However, if you do, know that your title, your rank, your name, as well as Zuko and Azula's very names, will be scorned, and it will be far harder to devote resources to find your children."

Ursa hated that he was right. That was true. And it wasn't because of her gender. Contrary to the popular belief of some of the lesser nations, the Fire Nation itself wasn't sexist. There were plenty of Fire Ladies in history. Times were different. Eras were turned over. But a Lord's gender was never discriminated against, save for a select few of both sides of the spectrum.

No, Azulon was a critical figure for the Fire Nation for 70 years. His first year was his most difficult one, upholding the impossible standard that Sozin's death left behind. But following that, Azulon became immensely popular, leading some of the most successful campaigns that Sozin even failed at, and even after all this time, Zuko and Azula's grandfather still maintained the respect of the military.

"I know what you're thinking," Azulon said in understanding. "But we have to face it; there is the possibility that Azula and Zuko may not return and go far too deep."

"Azula's a good hider, but Zuko is not," Ursa said, unsure if she was trying to convince herself or her father-in-law.

"Perhaps," Azulon hummed. "What I'm referring to is the disappearance of Raisha and Ty Lagya and Official Ukano and Michi's daughters from the Royal Palace. Until the situation calls for otherwise, I'm forced to suspect that they are aiding your children in hiding. All the more reason to send Ozai."

"I haven't got to that! You sent Ozai after them! OZAI! The man who just tried to kill—" Ursa started indignantly, wondering what in Agni's name was wrong with her father-in-law. Was it possible that some of the concerns from a few citizens and even some of the staff struck true, and the Fire Lord had come under the influence of dementia?!

"He has been ordered to bring them alive and uninjured to regain some of his lost status," Azulon interrupted, holding up a hand. "Calm yourself, my Daughter."

Ursa didn't listen, gritting her teeth. "Seeing his carelessness of parenthood, I doubt that Ozai would be too caring about any of their well-being, as long as there are no permanent injuries that will remain until they are returned," she retorted icily, her teeth clenched against one another.

"Perhaps," Azulon sighed. "My hands are truly tied in this scenario, Ursa, as are yours. Perhaps I have overestimated how badly things could go, but even I will not be amongst the living forever. And I'm afraid I have to burden you with a difficult decision."

"A difficult decision?" Ursa repeated the three words.

Azulon held her stare. "Do you remember the tale of Prince Naiku?"

"Yes, why are you bringing that up?" Ursa frowned, not seeing any point in this.

"Please do recount it to me," Azulon 'requested' with a flick of the hand.

Ursa wanted to tell him where he could recount that at, but decided against it, still gripped by curiosity. "Long ago, Prince Naiku had fallen to an assassination, his only son falling victim of the assassination as well. His younger brother, Prince Zusu, had survived the assassination attempt, which was later revealed to have been that of an enemy noble house of the Nosas that had been angry with Naiku's proposals to his father and then Fire Lord of the time, Fire Lord Tirak, to seize their assets."

"Yes," Azulon nodded in approval. "And what followed after Princess Azuni, the arranged betrothal for Naiku's, rise?"

"She wedded his older brother, and they sired three children together. It was a loveless marriage a..." Ursa stopped, realizing the angle that Azulon was going for. "No."

"Ursa—"

"No," she repeated, this time with much more fury. "All of this has been happening in only one day! You are viewing it from a pessimistic point of view! You cannot even ask me to give myself to Iroh!"

"The only other option is that you give yourself to me," Azulon provided. "As Princess Ymose did to Fire Lord Zemee when Prince Deemi had been unable to sire children, and Zeeme's wife had already died years earlier. Even my own father had birthed me through desperation and fertility problems. But nevertheless, we have to face the truth: the monarchy of the Fire Nation itself is in danger, and your lineage with Roku is all that's left. My first proposal is the best out of two bad situations."

The very thought made her sick, as did that particular moment in history. Zeeme was a man in his late 50s, whereas Princess Ymose was only barely touching her 20s before she was outright forced to give herself to him. It was understandable from a pragmatic standpoint, since those two were the last hopes for a future, but she never thought she would have to choose between either Ozai's brother or father.

"But... if you can track Zuko and Azula down, Zuko could become the heir to the throne following your and Iroh's deaths-" she protested, "unless that isn't what YOU want!"

"Oh, Ursa, what can you not see?" Azulon cast her a disappointed look. "Even if Zuko and Azula are returned here, this matter will have to be handled with delicacy. You cannot even just leave the palace and live out your lives as normal civilians."

Ursa opened her mouth. "So you will keep us prisoners?"

"Do not assume the worst of me," Azulon rejected dismissively. "I'm saying that they will be targeted for threat because of their father once word of this has spread. Ozai's cause of banishment will shine darkly upon all close to him, including you and your children." He pointed out. "But if you are to wed Iroh, and you two sire a child together, along with raising Zuko and Azula, then your children will be safe as his as well. Very few will oppose the Dragon of the West."

"Iroh abandoned the siege of Ba Sing Se." Ursa winced at how that came out. She couldn't blame him for that decision too much. In his shoes, she would have done the same. But the reason would still not be enough for the vast majority of the military, especially young, more impressionable soldiers.

"Yes, Iroh's honor is also in question, but my firstborn is not a banished prince as my second is and wouldn't just lose all respect from every branch of the military," Azulon reasoned. "As we speak, Ozai is most likely planning. The cunning boy he is."

"Why didn't you just end him?" Ursa growled. "The bond, if there was ever one, between you two has long since been broken. You had the opportunity, perhaps the one you have been waiting for, and didn't take it."

"Ilah and Ozai were always closer than him and I. And he'd inherited many of her qualities: manipulation, pride, vanity, and unlimited cruelty." Azulon responded, a foreign look in his eyes as he let out a unsteady sigh. "Do you want to know, Ursa, why I allowed Iroh and Ozai to choose whether or not to leave the Capital? If I am the old villain that you both no doubt construe me as, why did I not make him join the army or at the very least, the Domestic Forces? For hundreds of years, children of royalty were required to join the frontlines, even before my father started this war to share our security for the rest of the world, yet I had defied tradition-"

"This surprising state of sentimentality from the likes of you..." Ursa blinked, "...astounds me."

Azulon hummed some, continuing, "Is it so above me to admit that, even as the Fire Lord of the greatest Empire in history, I still do have love and care for both of my sons? That despite how many times my youngest had challenged my authority to the point where execution would have been found acceptable by our ancestors, up until now, I spared Ozai from my wrath for the sole reason that he was still my son, despite how he always believed I favored Iroh over him."

"You have never taken any interest in my children, which he'd sired," Ursa huffed, unable to believe what she was hearing right now.

Azulon cast her a knowing look. "Yet, I did not harm them..."

'Up until now,' Ursa thought to herself spitefully.

"Despite his mother's qualities, I have not done anything outside from pampering him, even if not directly. A folly of mine."

"Well, it's too late to live in the past, isn't it, Father?" Ursa sneered, her eyes sharp.

"Yes, I suppose it is," Azulon nodded, surprisingly understanding.

"But I—"

"Which brings the topic I was broaching towards back. Like Zeeme and Akuse, you and Iroh will face accusations of adultery. But, Ursa, you are now the second-in-line, and the future is dependent on your shoulders. Me, Iroh, and you are all that's left in the Royal Family in the Capital. I am but an old man. You and Iroh are still relatively young: the last hopes to secure a future beyond my time; a tremulous one, but one nevertheless."

"You're lost, my Lord; insane. I question if you will be the one who drives Sozin's finest work to the ground." Ursa instantly recognized that she may have gone too far before bowing her head. By all means, Azulon could end her life with a simple flick of the hand and deprive Zuko and Azula of their mother, still being much more powerful than Ozai and Iroh, which was the reason why the former hadn't even challenged the aging man to an Agni Kai for the throne. "Forgive me..."

If Azulon was offended, he didn't show it. "All my choices come only to the nation's benefit. The Avatar casts aside any personal attachments to focus on their duty. And to know our enemy, you must understand them, and I have to admit it is about one of the only things I agree with the Air Nomads about. That is why I alienated myself from your children's upbringing."

Ursa scoffed, "Yet you did not do the same to Iroh and Lu Ten..."

"I will also grant you: I love Iroh's son, perhaps in ways I can never love your children, and I'd believed him to be a bright future for the Fire Nation." Azulon declared truthfully. "But I need you strong if you want to ever get a second chance. Let your anger out at me now or else doom everything, including Zuko and Azula for good, in your hubris."

"I hate you, Father," Ursa confessed sharply. "I hate you more than you can imagine." She sighed, strongly tempted to show how much she hate him by allowing the flames to hit home against the Fire Lord at her own command, but resisted the urge because she knew he was absolutely right in that, bitter as she was to admit it. "But I know that you take the title seriously. And you wouldn't bring me here with propositions to change things if you weren't sincere."

"Excellent," Azulon said in approval, over her heavy breathing, "I am prepared to undertake your anger for the remaining time I have left, but I believe you don't want someone as cruel and sadistic as Ozai as Fire Lord."

Ursa confirmed tightly, "No, my lord."

"I'll give you your time to grieve from your losses before further arrangements are made," Azulon nodded. "Good day, Ursa."

Forcing herself to offer a bow and return, "And with you," she walked away from the Fire Lord.

On top of a throne, a young woman sat. The throne room before her was vacant, empty, with nothing but blue flames flaring around her. Two serpent-dragons, one blue and one red, slid down the side and around her.

"Is something wrong, my lady?" A voice that sounded like Ozai came from the Blue Dragon.

"You... you shouldn't be here," the woman responded timidly, her muscles tensed.

"Oh, my precious baby girl, Azula, come on now, listen to me," the Blue Dragon responded. "You should know by now that empowerment and fear is the only way to have everything you ever want."

"You'd betrayed me," Azula voiced angrily.

"I only did what I could to gain power. Can you say, if our roles was reversed, you wouldn't have done the same?" The Blue Dragon challenged in a soothing voice. "You belong to me, and me alone. No matter what you do, your mother will never love you. Your brother and friends view you as an inconvenience. Let go. Close your eyes."

Almost like it was bred into her to follow the voice's orders no matter what, Azula's eyes began to lower a bit.

"No, Fire Lord Azula!" The Red Dragon sounded like Ursa's. "Do not listen to the Blue Dragon! Save yourself! Before it's too late!"

"Come to me, Fire Lord Azula." The Blue Dragon continued in a melody as the flames dissolved, leaving the area vacant.

Azula stared around fearfully until the Blue Dragon slowly came out of a black hole. "If you don't get power, your friends and brother WILL die!" The dragon opened its mouth and lunged at Azula.

In the darkness, Azula saw a man with black hair and a topknot calling out. "Azula! I—"

"LU TEN!" Azula cried out desperately as everything crumbled around her.

'Ty Lee is smarter than I gave her credit for.'

Zuko was a doubter. He would admit it. It wasn't that he didn't trust either in terms of their intellect, but that sometimes Ty Lee could be easily sidetracked, at least in his experience. But they had stowed away in a merchant's wagon and, avoiding the attention of guards, infiltrated right into the civilian populace.

With limited time, she had managed to find refugee clothing in a colony named Wao Chao Village, but they wouldn't be there for long.

Azula was surprisingly asleep, mostly throughout their departure from the Capital when they were not eating the spare rations and food. To be fair to her, the merchant wagon was comfortable, and even Zuko and Mai shut their eyes for a couple of hours to catch up on some much-needed sleep.

Zuko hated to ruin her sleep but knew that she would want to be up. He poked her in the neck. "Azula. Azula. Wake up."

After a bit more effort, Azula gasped and came awake. A thick bead of sweat was across her forehead as she looked up at him through bloodshot eyes. "Z-Zuz...? Where... where are we? Was it all just a b-"

"No, no dream, Azula," Mai denied softly, pulling the red blanket off of his sister and wiping at her forehead with a secondary blanket used as a handkerchief. "We're all here."

"Oh..." She sounded hurt, and the obvious heartbreak made him feel worse. "Well, thank you, guys."

That stunned the three.

"I can carry you like we used to do so you can sleep if you want me to," Zuko offered, shaking his head.

"No, no," she shooed him away, spitting out a small blob of saliva, which she turned away from them. "I'm fine."

Zuko didn't know if he'd believed her. "Oh, ok."

She must have seen that her brother didn't believe her and said with a clogged smile and sniff from the nose, "I'm not a traumatized soldier off the battlefield, Zuzu. I'm fine."

"Yeah, ok," Zuko agreed uncertainly.

Before long, they went as far as they could, eventually coming to a stop well into the Earth Kingdom's territory, and what was worse was that the map was mostly pointless, going anywhere else but forward for the next couple of days. Fortunately, they had been able to catch some substances that kept them fed and hydrated. Unfortunately, they were starting to smell weird, and anytime they'd asked for help, even Ty Lee, people turned their noses down at them.

Now, in this settlement, they'd noticed that some of the people here smelled like fish.

"You do know where we are going, right?" Zuko addressed Ty Lee.

"I hope so," Mai grumbled. "My legs are getting tired."

His friend looked rather surprised at the question, "I thought you guys knew."

Zuko and Mai did a double-take. Both of them stared sharply at Ty Lee. "What?!" They chorused.

"This whole time, I'd thought you had a place to go!" Mai snapped.

"Well, I told you guys," Ty Lee started, seeming not to understand the situation, "that I would get us out, but I thought you all were already ready for what to do after that."

"You didn't think about telling us that when we were on the merchant wagon," Mai retorted, her tone furious.

"Yeah, or anywhere before now!" A part of Zuko felt bad for yelling, especially with Ty Lee looking down after helping them, but he'd felt like it needed to be said.

"Well, I..." Ty Lee's face broke, looking near tears. She pinched her expression together, mist bubbling in her eyes.

"Stop it, both of you..." A hack of coughs spilled right into the air as the one behind the voice looked away from them, arm brought up in front of her mouth. "Just stop." she glared at both of them. "Ty Lee did help get us out of Caldera and got us fed and something to drink without asking for anything in return. We can't expect her to do every little thing."

A stunned silence passed, where they said nothing, just processing what she had done. None of them, not even the girl herself, expected Azula to defend her, used to her streaks of cruelty and pettiness. Less than a week ago, she would either have said something hurtful to her or maybe even backhanded her.

She was changing.

But Zuko also knew that as much as he hated to admit it, she was right.

"You're right, Azula," Mai accepted with all the nobility that she had left. "Sorry, Ty Lee."

"Sorry, Ty Lee," he echoed.

"Well, I'm sorry too. Next time I'll speak up." Ty Lee's smile returned wholeheartedly, and she pulled out a wrinkled paper that they'd found stowing away. "And hey, we have the map. And each other." They stared at her in confusion, and she shrugged. "You guys should know, the power of friendship."

"It's less dangerous in that case," Azula rasped. "We might be able to find someone who could take pity on us."

"Azula? Are you sure you're alright?" Zuko confronted, worried about his usual perky sister, who wasn't acting very perky right now.

"I... um... I want to say I'm..." she stuttered, sweat going down her cheek. "I'm fine."

Zuko stared up at Mai and Ty Lee pleadingly, the former bringing up, "Azula, that sickness of yours is progressively getting worse."

"I'm fine..." she insisted.

"That's your problem," Ty Lee said with a boldness that shocked even Zuko and Mai. "We're your friends. We want to help you. But you don't ever let us in anymore."

"It's unimportant. You guys must really hate me as it is," Azula's voice broke, another strangled cough turning into a wheeze.

"Hate you?!" Ty Lee squealed. "Azula, where did you get that idea?!"

"Well, you should," his sister's lower lip trembled. "I made you guys come with me when I should have just told Zuko. I always make fun of you." She motioned to Zuko and then Mai. "I placed a burning apple on your head," and then she motioned to Ty Lee, "and I pushed you down for performing... better cartwheels than me. I also was very mean to the turtle ducks and threw bread at them. And I—"

"Alright, we get your point," Mai cut her off, but not unkindly. The second oldest of the group looked nevertheless sympathetic. "But we chose to come with you and Zuko, and neither of us hates you for that, Azula. We were scared of you, yes. Sometimes, we wonder what happened to the Azula we all knew, but NONE of us ever hated you."

"Dad said emotions are weaknesses," Azula confessed. "And I didn't mean... I was just messing around..." She swallowed. "I... I..." Her last part ended in a sob. Boy, she wasn't taking it too well. He'd remembered when their father... Ozai reserved all his private time for Azula's tutelage for four months when he was five, and when he'd objected to it, pointing out that it was unfair, he had been rewarded with a hard slap on the cheek and found the smiling portrait of his sister watching the entire scene gleefully.

Mom had fussed over him and laid into Ozai for the next week, but still, it hadn't changed his mind. Zuko had to deal with that bruise for a few weeks before it disappeared. It was no big deal. At least, Ozai didn't make a big deal out of it.

For once, Zuko felt anger, directed at their father for what he'd done with his sister. They were always close, closer than him and his father.

"Why, Azula? Why are you so mad at yourself?" Zuko asked. Azula closed her eyes and stared away. Maybe it was just him being stupid, but he didn't want to let the matter drop. "Remember, Mom told us that we have to talk about these things."

"I... I don't know what to do now, Zuzu. Now, we are fugitives!" Azula cried. "Dad told me to always plan for everything, but I just can't think of anything, and we can't stay like this forever!"

"You don't have to do everything by yourself, Azula. Mom always told me..."

"Can you shut up about what Mom always said?!" Azula raged, her temper rising again.

"Azula..." Mai and Ty Lee said, surprised.

"No! It's always "Mom this, Mom that"!" Azula responded, the crazy look back in her eyes as she stared at Zuko.

Zuko blinked, equally stunned as the rest, before his lips pursed. "Stop acting like a baby, Azula."

"I'm not acting like a baby and you better watch your mouth before I... I...!" His sister let out a series of coughs again, and she dropped the threat. "Mom thinks I'm a monster of a child! I'm always scolded for every little thing! For everything I have learned and all of the achievements I have practiced and achieved, it still wasn't even enough for her to stop coddling over you for even a second to praise me!"

"Azula, Mom loves both of us..." That was all Zuko could say.

"No, Mom loves you. She didn't love me. Neither Ursa nor Ozai ever cared." That was the first time Azula said their names out loud with such venom that it could make Agni itself jealous.

"Sorry to break this up, guys, but look, guys, there's a ship," Ty Lee pointed out.

Zuko frowned, his thoughts carried elsewhere. "But what if they are Fire Nation?"

"I don't think so," Mai dismissed. "Fire Nation's ships don't look like that."

The ship was U-shaped. The bow of the ship, from which hung a yellow lantern, was elevated high up into the air and was connected by rope to a wooden mast at the vessel's center. The mast was also secured to various other parts of the ship. A blue flag had a weird emblem placed on top of the mast.

They snuck on board, and each knew to be quiet as they eavesdropped on the travelers.

"Well, that's it, Bato," one man said. "We did a good scouting of this place. I think Hakoda will be pleased."

"Good job. Let's set sail to Hon Gun Ga so we can port and pick up Hakoda, then we can begin our trek back to the South Pole," another man responded.

And before they could have jumped off or done something, the ship was setting sail into the sea.

"Uh-oh," Ty Lee said. "Guys, I think we'd missed up."

"Nice going, Mai," Mai commented to herself sarcastically. "You really overdid it this time."

That was something they were all telling themselves.