Traditions of Love
"Please, my Lord, hear me on the subject of your chosen Fire Lady." Groveled one of Fire Lord Zuko's ministers. The recently engaged young man shook his head free from his lover's daydream and looked to the plump old minister who was significantly less pleasant to the eyes than the woman he had been thinking about.
"Yes, Governor Yinzo, what do you have to say about my fiancée?"
"My Lord," began the elderly politician "Undoubtedly you have been endowed with great wisdom, and of course, any woman that you would even consider marrying would be graced with all virtues. But there is the very serious matter of the Lady Mai's family's infamous health, shall we say…"
"What do you mean? " said Zuko, his voice tinged with concern.
"Of course, there is no reason for the Fire Lord to relinquish his chosen bride if he does not wish to, but perhaps he would consider a few concubines to produce his heirs, as the Lady's family is well known for miscarriage."
"Concubines" said Fire Lord Zuko, slowly.
"For strictly political purposes, my Lord."
The throne room fell dead silent.
"You want me to betray the woman I love, ruin the futures of innocent Fire Nation girls, and pollute my love for POLITICAL PURPOSES?!" half- roared the enraged man, his eyes blazing with disgust.
"It is tradition my Lord." Quavered the prostrate politician.
"Get out." Ordered the Fire Lord.
Governor Yinzo got out.
The midwives could not be sure when labor had started. Mai, being Mai, had kept a perfectly straight face when her contractions began during a meeting discussing a trade treaty. It was not until the last minister had taken his leave, when the Fire Lady's face went perfectly white and she had coolly told her husband to get her to a healer before she pinned him to the wall with her knives. But her voice shook ever so slightly with fear, and the Fire Lord had raised the hue and cry, yelling at the royal guards and clutching the marble cold hand relentlessly in his own oven hot one. The Zuko's grip had been the only thing keeping Mai remotely sane in the ocean of pain, but went a healer tore it off and tugged her into a separate room, Mai lost her cool, and screamed as the pains tore through her.
"What are you doing to her in there?" demanded the frantic father, grappling with a nurse in a crimson robe.
"It is against tradition to let anyone into the Fire Lady's chamber!" The nurse shouted back. "The Fire Lord must wait here!"
A shriek, sharp as a knife, slashed through the walls. At that, Zuko shoved his way into the secluded chamber and flat out refused to leave.
Zuko was the first Fire Lord to see his child's birth.
"Izumi." The scarred man whispered to the raw pink bundle in his arms, chanting it like a prayer. "Izumi, my Izumi. My little turtleduck."
"My Lord, it is a girl." Muttered the Fire Sage dubiously. "I shall prepare the pyre for the Offering to Agni ceremony."
"Yes, offer him much incense to thank him for the safe delivery of my daughter." Ordered the enamored new father, his eyes not stirring from his newborn's face.
"Fire Lord, we will offer the girl child to Agni by fire in exchange for a Fire Prince."
The Fire Lord gazed at the tiny girl nestling in his arms, uncomprehending. "Little turtleduck." He whispered again.
"Fire Lord, the mistake will be offered back to Agni on the pyre so he will send you your true son and heir."
Zuko froze.
"Fire Lord." Snapped the sage "You did not think it a mere coincidence that all the recorded firstborns of all Fire Lords were male?!"
A miniature pink hand reached up to fearlessly touch the red scar that blazed protectively above her.
The sage's hands reached out for the child.
"My Lord, it is tradition."
"Reverse the edict." Ordered the Fire Lord.
"A thousand generations…!"
"DO IT NOW!"
Both father and baby began to cry.
"My Lord, I have come to report on the crown Princess Izumi's progress."
Fire Lord Zuko Lord Zuko glanced up from his reports to look at his daughter's grizzled Fire bending instructor.
"Very well, begin."
"Fire Lord, Princess Izumi is a failure at firebending and not fit to be our future Fire Lord. I recommend traditional immediate banishment for weakness and disgrace to the royal line."
The Fire Lord glared at the man.
"Have you forgotten WHO you're talking to?"
The bender was silent.
"I would rather burn the rest of my face off."