Hello internet people! I'm back to writing fanfiction, and this time, I've decided to write one for Avatar: The Last Airbender. This is also a historical moment for me because this will be my first multi-chaptered story on this site. Now, fair warning to you readers, this will not be a large epic novel with several chapters; it's more like…a "series of one-shots" with their own plots, but they follow a general plotline.

This fanfic also focuses on Fire Lord Azula. That's right, I said FIRE LORD Azula! So this obviously takes place in an alternate Avatar world. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. All rights go to Mike DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko.

~ Mater Patriae ~

On the Day of Black Sun…the Fire Nation Capital was invaded by a force of Earthbenders and Waterbenders led by the young Avatar Aang. They were determined to defeat Fire Lord Ozai while the people of the Fire Nation could not use their bending. However, the invasion was a total failure. The vast majority of the enemy force was captured, and the Avatar barely escaped with his life. But there was one other historical moment that occurred that day. Prince Zuko, the son of Fire Lord Ozai, went into the Palace Bunker and proclaimed to his father that he intended to betray him and join the Avatar. The young Prince turned traitor wanted to become his Firebending tutor and help to defeat his own Nation. But before he could make his escape; Royal Guards burst into the room and seized the traitorous Prince. He was soon imprisoned on order of his father. An escape attempt by the disgraced General Iroh also failed, and he would die shortly afterward. Without a Firebending tutor, the Avatar was unable to master the art, and was defeated by the self-proclaimed Phoenix King Ozai during the return of Sozin's Comet. The defeated boy would be placed in a unique prison to ensure that the Avatar cycle would not continue. After burning much of the Earth Kingdom, Phoenix King Ozai directed the last campaign of the war against the Water Tribes, which ended in success a year after the Comet's arrival. He named his daughter Azula as the new Fire Lord, which was now the title for the Phoenix King's heir. A new age had begun in the world…an age that was illuminated…by Fire.

Zhou Ming, Fire Nation historian

The sun had already set on the Fire Nation Capital; the bright stars now shone through the calm night sky. Within the Great Royal Palace located in the center of a large crater; various servants were busy scurrying about, carrying important scrolls and documents to and from the Fire Lord.

Azula, first of that name, was sitting in her private room carefully reading over documents sent to her by her father, the Phoenix King. It had been ten years since the night of Sozin's Comet, and her father had delegated more and more responsibilities of the Fire Nation to her. They were mostly mundane things like new trade routes, upgrading old industrial centers, and wiping out small bandit gangs. Oh, how she wished she could join her father and increase her own personal power. While she was stuck in the Capital, Phoenix King Ozai was building his new city located on the coast of Yue Bay. The large metropolis was meant to become the luxurious and symbolic Capital of the world. This new Earth encompassing Empire was ruled with absolute authority by the Phoenix King; with the position of Fire Lord becoming less important and prestigious.

As she was putting her signature on another worthless scroll, she gave a disgusted sigh, "What's the point of being Fire Lord if I have no real authority beyond this Palace!" She then shoved the parchment aside which was quickly collected by a young servant girl who proceeded to run it to some unimportant minister.

Azula leant over her large desk and rubbed her temples. Her loose hair, which had grown longer, fell lazily down her back. Ten years ago she was a feared and mighty warrior. The teenage Princess who took down Ba Sing Se virtually by herself! She was the single GREATEST firebender in the world; though she always made sure not to express this sentiment in front of her father and Sovereign.

Soon another servant entered her room and brought a new set of documents for her to read over and sign; setting them on her desk. The twenty four year old Fire Lord gave another irritated sigh once again, and was about to dismiss the servant with a wave of her hand when a loud, shrill cry caught her attention.

It seemed her son was now awake.

The servant girl looked over at the babe nervously; believing he was hungry. With her eyes downcast, she asked her Monarch in a hushed, fearful tone, "My Lady, shall I fetch the wet nurse?"

Azula ignored the girl at first and kept her eyes toward her child; nestled in his cradle. She then scanned her eyes over toward the servant and ordered in a cold voice, "No! I shall nurse him myself." With that command, the girl bowed and quickly left the Fire Lord with her still crying baby.

Azula stood up and slowly approached the crying infant. One would think that two months after the birth, the young mother would be used to her baby's cries. But Azula still found them strange and disheartening. She had never encountered a problem that couldn't be solved by fire, so she was out of her element. Scooping up the screaming child in her arms, she pulled her robe open to see if he was hungry; but he would not nurse.

"Please don't void your bowels." She said, sounding irritated.

After checking the two month old child and discovering he had not soiled himself, she took him into her arms again, when he finally settled down. Now he was only making small cries, and had stopped kicking his feet.

Azula rested his head in the crook of her left arm with her left hand holding up his bottom. Her right hand reached up to rub her temples again. What did this child want? She had done everything she could think of. Well…not everything she supposed. A servant had said that sometimes infants simply wanted their parent's attention. Well if that was the case with her infant, then Azula was not happy. She didn't have time to simply drop everything she was doing and entertain this child! She needed to get back to her work. This nation depended on her and she didn't want to appear weak to her subjects. Then again, she supposed…in a way, her son needed her too.

Giving another irritated sigh, the Fire Lord/Mother decided to hold her son a few more minutes. He was completely quiet now, and was simply staring up at her. His curious, golden eyes stared straight into hers while he gnawed gently on his left fist. Azula felt nervous again, staring into those eyes. She hated feeling this way.

Tearing her eyes away from her infant son's gaze, she looked up at the candle-chandelier. One of the candles wasn't lit, which irked Azula to no end. Carefully taking her right hand away from her child, she pointed two fingers at the candle and shot a tiny blue flame which instantly lit it. At this, her son made a cooing sound, and took his fist out of his mouth. Looking down again, the Fire Lord noticed the awe in her son's eyes and suddenly a thought came to her.

With a small smirk on her face, Azula brought her hand close toward her son and spread her fingers. She then conjured five, tiny blue flames on each one of her fingers and started to wiggle them; thus making the flames dance inches from her son's face. The young babe instantly took a liking to this display, and started to move and giggle. He even tried reaching his arms out toward the little blue flames, but his mother kept them out of reach.

Hearing his tiny laughter brought a genuine smile to Azula's face. She decided to extinguish her flames and wrapped her other arm under her child. She leaned her head down closer to where it was touching his head.

"There, there my little Zuzu." She said to him affectionately; even rubbing her cheek with his.

At this, her son giggled again but was strangely still reaching out with his arms. Azula was confused, and displayed this with a raised eyebrow…until…a tiny orange flame erupted from her son's hands and within a second, evaporated. Shock was clearly displayed on the Fire Lord's face while the baby in her arms continued to laugh, smiling with victory. No child so young had ever created fire…not even her! She was only two years old when she conjured her first flame.

Shock however, turned to pride as a smirk once again made its way to Azula's face. She looked down at her son…her beautiful son, and whispered to him in a sweet, motherly voice, "Well done Zuko. You have made Mama very proud. You are going to become the greatest Firebender the world has ever seen! And I am going to make sure of it." She continued on with her voice growing louder, "One day the entire Earth will kneel at your feet! Your enemies will fear you and your subjects will adore you! I know it will be so!" She then had a brilliant idea. "I think we'll have to visit the local prison soon. Your dear Uncle will love to see this." She laughed.

Baby Zuko gave another smile toward his mother before a yawn erupted from his mouth, and his eyes started to grow heavy. Azula decided to put him back in his cradle, and then get back to work. But after she wrapped the blanket around Zuko, she stayed by his side. She couldn't believe how her two month old had Fire bent!

The proud mother gently stroked her fingers through his small tuff of hair as he slowly fell asleep. When she could hear light snoring; the Fire Lord smiled down at the snoozing baby. She suddenly remembered an old Fire Nation lullaby that mothers sang to their infant sons, and Azula's tender smile once again turned into her trademark smirk.

Sleep my little Dragon…

The Sun will rise again…

Your power is like an Iron Ring…

And you will be a King.

Alright, that's done. Let me know what you guys think. This idea just came to me one night and I thought, I have to put it down! So yes…Azula has a son and his name is Zuko. But it's not to honor her brother! Quite the contrary; I thought that by giving her son her brother's name, Azula would be "redeeming" the name. Because in this story, Zuko is a traitor and a prisoner. So it's just Azula getting under her brother's skin once more.

Oh, and that lullaby at the end…I made up the words but I was inspired by that song from the Lion King 2, where Zira sings to Kovu. Anyone remember that? Anyway just imagine that tune when you read the lullaby…I thought it was clever. *shrugs*

So please review or favorite or follow and I'll have the second chapter up soon. Thank you!