A/N: Dear Readers, this is my fourth entry to the Probending Circuit. I wanted to try a different writing style and so this is my first crack at it. I hope it's not too bad.

The prompts used in this are: moldy bread (easy), Azulon (medium) and angst (hard).

I have chosen the Diamonds suit.

Read and review, please. Thank you!

The Makings of a Diamond Emperor

The doors to my mother's chambers opened even before I had come seven steps closer to its dreaded entrance. My mother has never called for me with such urgency before and I was tremendously worried by her sudden summoning.

I walk through the doors and the servants obediently bowed to me, regardless of being in the midst of performing their respective duties. Almost at once, it hit me that something was oddly missing in this room; the very feeling of dread. I looked on curiously around the room, trying to catch a glimpse of that old dowager whom I loved so dearly.

At last, I see her frame, sitting in her favorite chair like a throne in her own bedroom, passing time with her favorite activity and one that I must say only she does best; embroidery. The scarf that I wore around my neck with a pattern of red dragons swirling around a fire-azalea in full bloom, was a masterpiece of my Mother. It is my favorite one and I carry it with me everywhere I go for the warmth it provides reminds me of my most favorite person in the world. The fact that it is also proof of my Mother's favor of me above all my brothers doesn't hurt either.

"Mother! Have you been taken ill? What seems to be the matter of great urgency?" I asked without pausing for breath upon arriving by her side. My heart still pounds with worry over my mother's wellbeing even though her appearance does not seem weary.

"Nothing my dear, Prince Azulon- I am perfectly fine. Even more so now that you're here,' My mother responds and I realize how much I have missed her voice. 'It seems like this is the only way that I can capture enough of your attention for you to come and visit your own poor mother who sits day by day by her lonesome in the palace," she continues without so much as lifting her eyes from her present artwork.

"You're not," I left my sentence hanging as I stared at her in disbelief. She had feigned illness and had me worried sick to my soul. 'You did not care that this worry could be the very cause of my death, Mother?"

"My son, I'm so pleased by your presence here on such haste. You still think of this old woman afterall, what with all the young ones I hear you constantly have around your waist,"

"Mother, you know you're most important to me, above even my own being,' I smiled at her as I moved to sit myself by her feet, taking her hand and bringing it to my lips. I can never stay mad at her.

"I know and that is why I have called for you,' The distinct change in her tone of voice was enough to re-awaken my sense of trepidation; I knew there was something important that she wants to call to my attention. She waves the servants away for us to have privacy of company.

'Your father has decided to begin his hunt for an heir in spite of my reservations on the matter," she whispers her words in spite of our seclusion.

"Yes, I have heard of that. He has been planning that for years and now that I have come of age, he would surely begin his plans," In spite of my Mother's obvious uneasiness, I hope to calm her with my own tranquility but I can see that she has not bought into my strategy.

"I wish you would have no part in this,"

"Are you asking me to run away like a coward, Mother?" My eyes flashed and my tone of voice had risen slightly though I swear it was never a part of my own will.

"Your Father refuses to understand my position in this but I know that you do!"

"Mother, do you know what you are asking of me? If I bow out now, the entire nation will think me a traitor, a cowardly prince who runs away at the slightest confrontation!' I look away as I say my piece for I worry if I look her straight in the eye, I would definitely falter in my own intentions.

'Don't you care for the shame that will surely befall your son?"

"I fear your death above all else!' The vehemence in her voice far surpasses my own and still, I could not face her. 'Azulon, I am an old woman and I shall not live for much longer but I do hope that I would at least outlive my own sons! Please, I beg of you, obey my only wish! Leave the Fire Nation at least until one of your brothers have claimed the throne."

She hangs onto my arm and sobs and I could hardly contain my own tears. My heart feels so heavy for so many different reasons that it is hard to weigh which holds more importance.

I took a deep breath, hoping to steady my own voice before I speak. I will not allow my Mother to fear for me.

"I will leave at dawn."

: : :

And that was how I found myself in this dingy & dusty arena in the company of the loud and boisterous low-lives of the Earth Kingdom and I, Prince Azulon of the Fire Nation, in place of silks and gold cuffs, wears a tattered burlap tunic stolen from the first clothesline I came across when I landed in this land of filth.

A plate of moldy bread was served to me and a rusty goblet of water with sediments settled at its bottom. This is the only meal they can afford to offer their prized fighters.

Oh, how far can a Royal fall!

I scrunched my nose, still unused to the pungent smells of pure mud mixed with the stale odors of sweaty bodies hanging heavily in the air. I gave my grunting enemy my signature stare; a stare that no living creature has ever been able to match in ferocity. My entire senses are on high alert and I could not have missed even a fly in my current state of mind. My arms are outstretched before me with my open palms faced inwards. My feet are in grounded position to withstand any sudden rush of winds this airbending monk could throw my way.

I am ready to rumble.

He is light on his feet; in fact, he floats as he throws a cold gust of strong wind towards me. I refused to entertain him with a strength of my own so I simply released an effortless whip of flame to counter his attack, effectively turning his airball into a sirocco, knocking us both backwards. I landed comfortably on my feet as I await patiently for his next move, refusing by all means to be the aggressor choosing instead to take my time and analyze his techniques.

He is a formidable opponent I must say but, I am a prodigy.

At 10 years old, I overcame my trainers and took them instead as my students. I was the only one amongst my brothers who was able to conjure lightning at the age of 12 and no one, not one person living or dead, has ever won a duel against me. For that reason, I became known in this circle as Izar the Indestructible.

He takes another shot for the kill, throwing razor-sharp gale-winds so swiftly it almost cut through my hair had I not jump out of the way quick enough. I have only my vanity to thank for as it refuses to allow such damaging blows to my beautiful physique. The monk gets distracted momentarily; he had expected his gale to knock the wind out of me but instead, I volleyed him with endless blasts of fire aiming not at his body, but at the silly bright orange wrap that barely covers his modesty.

It catches fire and the entire room erupts.

With laughter.

The monk struggles to airbend the fire away only I won't let it give him rest. The flames rage on, revealing too much of himself – not that anyone wants to look. I watched with amusement as he gets flustered, forgetting his place in the middle of a death match. My amusement fades and I think I am feeling the effects of that moldy bread I was provided with.

I refuse to let it become my end!

I focused instead on my hairless enemy, so scantily clad and all l see is a pathetic loser, who ought to be killed for doing himself such an injustice. He has become, to me, merely a target- a bullseye to be hit in the heart.

I conjured lightning- my coldblooded friend- and the monk in mere seconds, is history.

This fight was an easy one for me. Too easy.

Izar! Izar! Izar!

And even without my Royal title, I am worshipped. I cannot help it. I need to be worshipped; if not as a Royal, then as anything and everything else and I never fail to attain what I desire. Right at this present moment, my only desire is to win.

And I did.

: : :

I went back to a shack on a cliff overlooking the sea that I call home. I see my love, Seju, sitting on the swing I had built for her as a wedding gift. She looks so beautiful with her hair blowing in the wind and a lazy smile that graced her lips upon noticing my return.

We were married on this very cliff not 6 months ago. I was so taken by her effortless beauty and bold personality that I disregarded the fact that she was a non-bender. My Father would surely kill me if he finds out but I have already given up everything and I would give up even more for this woman.

This feeling she presents to me is unlike anything I have ever experienced. This must be what they call love; it's like being brought back to life again after having been dead all this time.

"Busy day at the market today love?" Her lilting voice sets my heart ablaze.

"No more than usual. I did manage to get those spicy rice cakes you were craving for," I showed her the bag l was carrying and already she was running towards me with glee.

"Yes I expected to be second to rice cakes," I feigned disappointment, looking away dramatically.

I was rewarded with a laughter that could make even the most depressed person laugh along.

"You're the sweetest and I love you,"

She thinks that I am a fish trader.

I have been lying to her about my actual profession for I cannot stand to make her worry about my being. The fight club I belonged to held a facade of a seafood warehouse by the docks. Yet in spite of our actual business, we have a steadier flow of customers as compared to the other legitimate ones.

Ironic.

I was about to respond with a joke- I was never accustomed to humor in my upbringing in the Fire Nation palace until I met Seju- when I heard the distant galloping of horses. I was immediately on a defensive as my hand reached for Seju's and I stood in front of her, shielding her from a doom I cannot see but only feel.

"Get inside," I whispered to her, giving her a slight push to hasten her response which thankfully, she obeyed without question.

Two men on horseback dressed somewhat awkwardly in Earth Kingdom attire but with obvious Fire Nation features had come to visit and I knew something was amiss. They are army messengers with word from the Palace and from their grim faces, I knew it was dismal.

They dropped to their knees before me as they struck their fists together in greeting. I was suddenly reminded of my Royal status after having left behind that part of my life for 2 years now. I looked back to my little hut to be sure we are away from Seju's keen eye.

"Why are you here?"

"We have news from the palace my Prince,' the shorter of the two spoke first. 'It is the Firelady, she has been taken seriously ill."

My heart has stopped.

There is nothing more to be said.

: : :

None of my brothers were present, not even my Father.

I saw my Mother asleep on her bed, surrounded by waterbender healers and immediately I was alarmed. Never had there been a case where a Fire Nation Royal had been healed by waterbenders. We have our own Royal Physicians for that and they are the most knowledgeable in the Fire Nation and therefore by extension- according to our Social Studies textbooks- the entire world.

There should be nothing that they are unaware of.

"What goes here!? Why is my Mother healed by waterbenders?" I had pulled the Royal Physician aside as he was rushing into the room with a brass pot of water.

"Forgive me my Prince for my lack of knowledge on the matter but the Firelady suffers from a complete reversal of qi in her body. Her temperature is constantly high and as such, she can only be healed through a reverse flow in her qi and therefore, the need for water healing," He answers with much fear in his eyes and I knew there was something more.

"What?! What are you not telling me?" I demanded of him, not caring of my tone of voice.

"The Firelady's illness is very grave. We have never encountered an illness as hers before and even the waterbenders are puzzled by this,"

"So why are we getting them to heal my Mother if they know nothing?"

"They are the only ones known to have been able to limit the spread of the disease within a patient's body. However, my Prince, they are not aware of how the disease comes about or the actual cure for it. What they are doing is simply a method to prolong her life for as much as they can," he falters and he is rightly doing so. In my current state of mind, I could kill him if he were to say it even though at the back of my mind, I knew.

I turned back to look at the waterbenders in disgust. I had no reason to resent them but my Mother's current dire state has left me irrational and I had to find someone to blame for my Mother's ailing body. I clenched my fists, holding back the urge to cause destruction as I took a step towards my Mother's bed and watched as soft lights illuminated her face, forming wavy patterns. It calmed me down somewhat as I was reminded of my own home overlooking the sea and- Seju.

I lied to her about coming here.

She thinks I am out at sea, exploring a new untapped fish catchment area.

She thinks my entire family had been killed by the Fire Nation as was hers. I could never tell her I was the Prince of the Fire Nation; she would have hated me even though I had nothing to do with my Father's conquests. I was not like my Father, and I never wanted to be like him. No one would believe me if I told them this and I would never expect Seju to be different from them. It just would not be fair to expect her to understand if no one else does.

It was already late into the night when the healers finally left, completely exhausted.

I was left alone with my Mother, by her bed, holding her hand in mine as I stared into her face. For the first time, she seemed so old to me and yet, I felt like I have not grown at all. I still needed my Mother like I was still only a child. Her hand suddenly grasps mine although with minimal force but it was more than I could ever ask for.

"Azulon-" she whispers as she turns to me and smiles. She attempted to say something more but her state was so weakened she couldn't and it broke my heart to pieces. The tears formed in her eyes mirrors mine as if we both know the impending end.

"I love you,"

My Mother died that night in her sleep as did a part of my heart.

:

I returned to Seju and my house overlooking the sea after nine long months of having been away. I longed to see her serene face, to feel her warm body against mine and the softness of her lips.

I was instead met with an overwhelming disappointment and fear as I discovered our home, empty. The dust that covered the furniture and the musty odor that clung to the air was enough to tell me that it had been quite a few months since no one had inhabited this house. I searched for her, high and low. I asked every single person I met along the way and no one had caught a glimpse of her.

My whole world had simply ended within such a short span of time and I had no idea what else there was to come.

I did not want to know.

: : :

Here I stand on the balcony of my Central Tower Fort, looking on proudly at the centrepiece of my mighty legacy; the Great Gates of Azulon. It was constructed as my first order as the new Firelord. It shall serve as the first line of protection to the people and the land of Fire. I shall give no quarter to those who choose to harm us.

I, Firelord Azulon, shall lose no more.

.

.

(2977 words)