Author's Note: In honor of the finale, as it just filled my brain with ideas, possibilities and inspiration. Also in honor of a special person, who I will not name, but you know who you are.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the terms or names, Bryke/Nickelodeon etc do. Also, the italics are song lyrics from Skeletons of Society by Slayer, so I don't own those either.
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Fragments
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"Where is my mother?"
Phoenix King Ozai had been expecting that. All Zuko ever cared about was his mother. Fire Lady Ursa, who seemed, to all who knew her, the polar opposite of her husband, especially in his years as Fire Lord. Where he was a cold, stern and ruthless person, she was warm, kind, and forgiving. Ever since the day of her banishment, Zuko probably hadn't passed a single day without thinking of her.
He would never admit it, but in that way, Ozai and his son weren't all that different.
Fragments of what used to be.
He remembered how they had met. It had been party as always; boring, without any political value, just fat nobles gorging themselves on exquisite food and their ladies discussing the latest rumors amongst themselves. Prince Ozai, twenty summers young back then, had been the representative of the royal court, along with his older brother, Crown Prince Iroh.
And then she had met his eyes. She had been politely speaking with some nobleman; he'd thought it was the governor of some backwater province somewhere, but didn't particularly care. Her attentive expression apparently had given the nobleman the impression that she'd been listening, but Ozai was nothing if not observant. He had immediately known she had been just as bored as himself, and had decided that maybe, just maybe, this night was a little bit salvageable.
She had introduced herself as Ursa, daughter of a recently retired governor of one of the colonies, and she had just arrived in the capital town, because her father had to report and officially retire with approval of the Fire Lord. After that, they would probably settle in a small house in the country. Her mother loved gardening, and would be devastated if she had not enough room to plant her own flowers.
He was content to letting her speak. She had a lovely voice, he noticed, and this way, he could get to know this new girl in town. Ursa had seemed to be satisfied with this, too, telling this handsome young prince all about herself.
The following morning, when Ozai had awoken in the Royal Palace, alone, he'd realized, much to his dismay, that he was in love. Ever since that day, he never visited any of the few concubines he had anymore.
Memories linger in my brain.
He remembered how, two days after that fateful party, she had walked, with her family, through one of the galleries surrounding the courtyard where Ozai and Iroh were practicing their firebending at the time. How, the moment their eyes had crossed, he had slipped, and lit a bush on fire. Iroh had prevented the fire from spreading, but the bush was already burnt to a crisp by that time.
"What's that, brother?" Iroh had said, sniffing around with a smug grin. Just as perceptive as his younger brother, and more often than not noticing things with which to embarrass Ozai with, so had he seen this time how the Prince had looked at that girl. "Smells like...hmm, yes, smells like love is in the air."
A jab with Ozai's elbow in Iroh's upper arm before both of them had laughed, and continued their firebending practices.
A pain I never have won.
He remembered how, a week after she and her family had left the capital city, he had met her again. He had asked her out, surprised she was back, and she had accepted with a twinkle in her eyes, as if she knew something he didn't. But he had dismissed it, and had taken her out to a play; Dragon's Rise, it was called. At humorous scenes, she had laughed along with others, but for some reason, to his ears it had stood out, clear above all the other voices.
Later, when they had been talking over dinner, Iroh had come up to them, and, much to Ozai's surprise, Ursa knew Iroh. He didn't know how, or why, but his older brother had apparently set him up on a date. He was ever grateful for that, even when he grew to hate Iroh for being soft, and weak, even when he betrayed Iroh by becoming the new Fire Lord. And Iroh knew it. But always did it remain a secret between the two brothers.
Image of a spiraling demise.
He remembered how, after a year or two of a healthy relationship between the two of them, his father had grown impatient with the young Ozai, and had forced them to marry. It did not matter for them; they knew they were destined for one another. By then, he had grown impatient with his father, too. Although the old man gained victory over victory on the battlefield, there was no decisiveness in his actions. Azulon, in Ozai's eyes, lacked the determination to end this war, and fulfill Sozin's Legacy.
With his beloved Ursa he shared his dreams. She was the only one who could and would listen to him; everyone else would only view him as a traitor. But while Ursa herself would never call him a traitor, she never, ever encouraged him to proceed with his plans.
Then Zuko was born, and everything became different.
Judgment in disguise.
He remembered how fond his beloved was over their new son. Ozai himself was proud, to a certain extent - much like any new father. However, two years later, when their second child Azula was born, it was no secret that the Prince loved his daughter more than his firstborn son. In his eyes, she was better at everything then the two year older Zuko. Not that he didn't love the boy. Azula was just better.
Ursa, instead, took more of a liking to the boy. She would regularly chaste Azula for the tricks she would play on Zuko, and punish Azula more than Zuko for whatever they did wrong, but even with that, she never hated Azula. It was her own daughter, after all.
And then came that horrid day.
Ozai, now a man in the prime of his life, had grown more hard, more serious over the years. His dreams became ambitions, ambitions became plans. And so, he had finally gathered the courage to ask his father to give him the birthright to the throne.
He was only punished for his impudence. Zuko had to be sacrificed. Ozai was furious. And Ursa, dear, beloved Ursa, was frightened. For the first time in her life did she act upon Ozai's treasonous ideas - at the cost of herself.
Ozai never would be the same anymore - nor would his love for Zuko.
Life with nothing more to gain.
"You didn't answer my question, father. Where, is, mother?" Zuko said. Although his voice was still calm, there were slight hints of strain that alluded to the fact the new Fire Lord was losing his patience.
Phoenix King Ozai replied venomously. "Haven't you listened, boy? I told you, back when you so cowardly faced me at the Day of Black Sun, that she was banished. She could be anywhere. Even dead."
It was not until Zuko had left the cell in anger and frustration that the tear crawled across the broken man's cheek.