Prologue
In the months that followed Sozin's Comet, Azula was diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder brought on by childhood violence and aggravated by her war training and her eventual fighting in the war.
Wanting his sister to recover and perhaps feeling guilty that he had no idea her childhood had been so horrific, Zuko had put her removed from the asylum and put in Lo and Li's custody where she was rehabilitated on Ember Island. There was a section of the island reserved for nobles, so Azula would not have to deal with the general public.
Instead of training her for the politics of war and how to be a lethal honey trap if need be, Zuko had Lo and Li try to teach his sister how to be normal, as best they could.
After a year, they said they had done their job and Azula was ready to return home. Zuko came to visit his sister, and even he acknowledged that she seemed more docile than he had ever remembered her to be. She wasn't, however, jumping for joy.
She knew that she was still on probation and if she messed up, she would be sent straight to jail where she would face prosecution for war crimes, even though Mai and Ty Lee had already been pardoned for many of the same crimes and of course Zuko faced no criminal charges at all.
"How long will I be on probation?" she asked dryly.
That was a good question one, which Zuko had not decided yet. It seemed untenable to say forever, but it had to be enough time such that he could say she had changed. Right now, she was 16. Her probation started a little over a year ago. "Four years," he finally answered. "If you make it to your 20th birthday without giving me a reason to arrest you, then you're in the clear." Five years seemed like an acceptable amount of time to give her to change. He had only needed three, well maybe three and a half, but Azula had always a bit of a mean streak to her. She would have to learn how to control it.
"Fine," she said as if she had any choice in the matter. She knew she had no way of negotiating him down to 18, and even if she could, would it have made any difference. If she could stay out of trouble for two more years, then she could stay out of trouble for four more years.
"Pack your bags. You will be returning to the palace next week."
Azula should be looking forward to going home, but she wasn't. When she left, she was the Crown Princess, moments from being Fire Lord before she broke down. Now, she had nowhere to go. She would only be Crown Princess until Zuko married and produced an heir.
She had started off as a long shot for the crown. She had five people in her way and then it was in her grasp. She cursed her pathetic mind for breaking when she needed it most. She wondered what she would do when she turned 20.
Would she make an effigy of her brother and burn it in the public square? Would she show up to that water wench's home and melt it while she was away, leaving her a puddle to live in? Azula didn't know what her 20th birthday would have in store for her, but she hoped it would be good. It would need to be five years worth of good.