Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender
"Born in the vibrant flowering of spring, raised in the turbulent fires of summer, enlightened through the orange haze of autumn and found peace in the cold but light snows of winter. These are the four seasons, the four elements. They guide us, shape us and make us into our true selves."
The moonlight cast a long shadow into the blood red hallway, as a hooded figure crept down it. The Fire Nation Palace was exceptionally quiet that night, the guards down to a minimum and the grand throne room empty.
In her bedroom slept a 10 year old Princess Azula, half-asleep, still thinking about what her grandfather said father would have to do to Zuko. She did mock Zuko saying that father would kill him, but begun to wonder if her father would ever do such a thing. Yes she thought Zuko was a weakling and an idiotic one at that, he was still their father's son and it was his obligation to protect him. She decided not to toss and turn over the idea that her brother may die and faced out to her door seeing a figure walk by. Azula's senses were well attuned to shadows and darkness, as she could see through the heavy robes and knew it was her mother.
"Mum!" she cried out, curious as to why she was walking about the palace in the dead of night. Her mother walked up beside her bed and sat next to Azula's face, brushing her bangs from her forehead, making Azula cringe and flick her mother's hand away.
Her mother sat beside her almost weeping, "Azula listen to me, I have to go now and I won't be coming back... But you must know that I love you-"
Azula stopped her and a scowl came upon her face, "You don't love me like you love Zuzu, you're always with him and never with me".
Her mother wiped tears from her eyes and continued, "I love you both more than you'll ever know, and it's what mothers do. I take care of Zuko because he's not as strong as you, he needs the support..."
Azula's face grew smug and she chuckled, "So Zuzu really is weak, I knew it!" Her mother hushed her lips and almost laughed at her daughter's cruel statement.
"That's why I want you to protect him, your father is a cruel man and he may treat him unfairly... You must promise me you will help him... For the sake of the love I hold for you two", her mother ended now standing up, almost imposing on the ten year old below her.
Azula now understanding what her mother meant decided to pull the best smile she could, "I promise mum, for Zuzu and for... Love", she cringed finishing the reply. Azula was not one for love but at least her mother told her she did love her.
Her mother kissed her on the forehead and said her final goodbye, "Be strong my little dragon", before walking out with the hood back on her head concealing her identity once more. Azula rolled her head into her pillow and did not cry, not a single whimper, for as her mother told her, she was strong, and she was a dragon.
This is my first ATLA fan fiction, or first fan fiction in general (but don't worry I've written other stories). I felt that I would start writing my dream fanfic of a world where Zuko is [hopefully] scar-less, and Azula is [relatively] good. All I needed was to tweak one little thing in her story and let the butterfly effect unfold. Well not until the next chapter of course...